Alarmingly, colorectal cancer claims the second-highest number of cancer deaths in U.S. adults. The American Cancer Society projects that in 2024, this form of cancer will take the lives of 53,000+ people. How might we gain insight into prevention?
Cancer microbiome researchers from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center discovered that a common oral bacterium called Fusobacterium nucleatum occurred in about half of the colorectal cancer tumors removed from 200 case study patients.
Fusobacterium nucleatum
They linked this specific bacteria to a virulent form of colorectal cancer which they determined could be driving tumor growth. The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center study was published in the March 2024 issue. of Nature. See study here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07182-Some studies showpromise
A series of gut microbiota studies show that colorectal cancer patients carry an abundance of Fusobacterium nucleatum in tumor tissue. F. nucleatum is regarded by researchers as an opportunistic pathogen and a tumor-associated bacterium. In the human mouth this bacterium is often linked to gum disease and plaque buildup, and it’s ability to survive the journey from mouth, through gut, and eventually to invade tumor cells in the lower digestive tract remains unclear.
In a healthy mouth fusobacteria are kept in check. When the oral microbiome is disrupted by poor hygiene or overall weakened immunity, perfect conditions can arise for fusobacteria to grow out of control.
Some studies indicate that a few Ayurvedic extracts and particular essential oils can inhibit proliferation of fusobacteria in the mouth; and scientists agree that, in the future, an effective colorectal cancer screening might become as simple as a mouth swab.