Plaque bacteria found in half of colon cancers

A type of bacteria found in dental plaque may be behind a treatment-resistant form of colorectal cancer, according to a study published in the journal Nature. 

The bacterium, called Fusobacterium nucleatum, was found in 50% of the CRC tumors tested in the study. It appears to shield tumor cells from cancer-fighting drugs, the study indicated. Experts say the study could pave the way for new treatments and potentially new methods of screening. 

According to the study discussion section, "Advances in next-generation sequencing have revealed the presence of bacterial communities within human tumour tissues. A key challenge for cancer microbiome research is to move beyond the characterization of microbial composition in tumours towards functional studies that determine whether, and how, these microbes are contributing to disease.”

Read more: Nature 

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