A recent study from Guy’s, St. Thomas’, and King’s College London has revealed a promising new angle in the fight against head and neck cancer. According to research published in Cancer Communications, certain oral bacteria have been found to destroy head and neck cancer cells.
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), which is the sixth most common cancer globally, has seen little advancement in treatment methods. The study highlights a surprising discovery involving a bacterium called fusobacterium, known for its role in promoting colon cancer. Rather than exacerbating head and neck cancers, this bacterium appears to inhibit their spread and even eliminate cancer cells.
Dr. Miguel Reis Ferreira, the study’s senior author, suggests that these bacteria might have a more complex relationship with cancer than previously thought. Analysis of data from 155 head and neck cancer patients revealed that those with higher levels of naturally occurring fusobacterium had significantly better prognoses. According to the study, patients with higher levels of this bacterium saw a 65 percent increase in survival rates.
Dr. Ferreira explained, “Our findings indicate that the presence of these bacteria in head and neck cancers is associated with better outcomes. Furthermore, in laboratory conditions, this bacterium has been shown to kill cancer cells.” The research demonstrated that when fusobacterium was introduced to cancer cells in a petri dish, it resulted in the destruction of 70 to 90 percent of the cancer cells within a few days by releasing toxic substances.
Despite its known role in promoting cancer growth in the intestines, the bacterium’s potential to destroy head and neck cancer cells was unexpected. Dr. Ferreira noted, “At very low concentrations, it begins to eliminate cancer rapidly.”
The research is still in its early stages, but it opens up new possibilities for using bacteria in cancer treatment. The scientists aim to explore how these findings might impact not only head and neck cancer outcomes but also other types of cancer.
Dr. Anjali Chander, senior clinical research fellow at King’s College London and lead author of the study, described the findings as both “remarkable and surprising,” emphasizing the potential for further investigation into how bacteria that usually promote cancer might be harnessed to treat other forms.
