Scientists from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in the United States examined tumors in 200 patients with colorectal cancer and discovered that in 50% of these cases, a specific group of bacteria, Fusobacterium nucleatum, was elevated in the tumor tissue.
Fusobacterium nucleatum makes colorectal cancer more dangerous – (Graphic: MICROBIOME POST).
According to SciTech Daily, Fusobacterium nucleatum is a group of bacteria found in the human mouth. Previously thought to be a single subspecies, new findings suggest that it consists of two distinct branches.
One of these branches is Fna C2, which has migrated to tumors within the intestines of cancer patients. The presence of this bacterial branch not only accelerates the progression of colorectal cancer but also reduces treatment effectiveness. Patients with this bacteria have a lower survival rate after cancer and a worse prognosis compared to other patients.
This new discovery suggests new treatment and screening methods targeting this bacterial subgroup as well as the gut microbiome in general.
Medical scientists could leverage the impact of bacteria on cancer to develop treatment therapies based on the bacteria itself, such as creating modified versions of the bacteria to influence tumors.
This new work is highly valuable in the context of colorectal cancer, which is very prevalent and one of the most deadly forms of cancer.
According to statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide, but it ranks second in mortality.
