Brushing teeth well can reduce colorectal cancer risk
Two new studies have revealed that gut microbes known as fusobacteria, which are found in the mouth, stimulate bad immune responses and turn on cancer growth genes to generate colorectal tumors.
The findings could lead to more effective strategies for the early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of colorectal cancer.
"Fusobacteria may provide not only a new way to group or describe colon cancers but also, more importantly, a new perspective on how to target pathways to halt tumor growth and spread," senior study author Wendy Garrett of the Harvard School of Public Health and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, said.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States.
