London, United Kingdom

Cancer is perhaps the most dreaded of all long-term illnesses that come with a very high fatality rate. Now, a group of scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery that a common type of mouth bacteria can potentially "melt" certain cancers. 

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The bacteria that 'melts' cancer

The hero of the moment is a bacteria called 'fusobacterium' and, as per a study by Guy's and St Thomas' and King's College London, it works exceptionally well against certain types of cancer.

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This surprising finding could pave the way for new treatments, particularly for head and neck cancers.

The study, led by Dr Miguel Reis Ferreira, a consultant in head and neck cancers, revealed that "In essence, we found that when you find these bacteria within head and neck cancers, they have much better outcomes."

"The other thing that we found is that in cell cultures, this bacterium is capable of killing cancer."

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Researchers were "brutally surprised" by the bacteria's apparent ability to kill cancer cells, prompting further investigation into the biological mechanisms behind this phenomenon.

"What we're finding is that this little bug is causing a better outcome based on something that it's doing inside the cancer. So we are looking for that mechanism at present, and it should be the theme for a new paper in the very short-term future," he added, as reported by The Guardian.

"This research reveals that these bacteria play a more complex role than previously known in their relationship with cancer—that they essentially melt head and neck cancer cells. However, this finding should be balanced by their known role in making cancers such as those in the bowel get worse."

Laboratory studies supported this, showing a dramatic reduction in viable cancer cells after exposure to the bacteria. In some cases, the number of cancer cells dropped by 70 to 99 per cent within a few days.

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The research team initially anticipated a different outcome based on previous studies linking fusobacterium to the progression of bowel cancer. However, their findings showed the opposite effect in head and neck cancers. The bacteria seemed to destroy cancer cells swiftly and effectively.

An analysis of patient data from the Cancer Genome Atlas database confirmed these results. Patients with fusobacterium in their cancer had a 65 per cent lower risk of death compared to those without the bacteria. This significant finding suggests that fusobacterium could play a crucial role in future cancer treatments.

Dr Anjali Chander, the study's lead author, described the discovery as a "eureka moment" validated by international colleagues. The research team is now focused on understanding the exact mechanism by which fusobacterium kills cancer cells, with plans to publish more detailed findings soon.

(With inputs from agencies)