Mouth bacteria may trigger a series of chain reactions that can eventually lead to bowel cancer, according to BBC news.
Two US studies revealed that fusobacteria, the most common bacteria found in the mouth, result to an overactive immune response that eventually turn to cancer growth genes.
The researchers of the study from the Harvard Medical School proved the fusobacteria were present in high numbers of adenomas, a benign growth in the bowel that later on becomes cancerous.
The researchers told the BBC that they also conducted a series tests using mice to see whether or not the formation of bacteria increased by attracting special immune cells that set off inflammatory responses.
The early findings of the study were published in the journal of Cell Host & Microbe.
A second study was conducted by researchers at Case Western Reserve University which proved that fusobacteria had a molecule on its surface that attaches and invades human collorectal cancer cells.
This known molecule, FadA switches on cancer growth genes and rouses inflammatory responses that promote the formation of tumor.
Dr. Wendy Garrett, lead author of the Harvard study told sources of BBC that fusobacteria can provide a new way to describe colon cancers and it can also provide a new angle on how tumor growth can be prevented from spreading.
Professor Yiping Han, lead author of the second study told sources of BBC that infection definitely exists in colorectal cancers.
He further stated that early diagnosis of colorectal cancer can help prevent this very common and debilitating disease.
A spokesperson from the Oliver Childs of Cancer Research UK told the BBC that microbes are a main component of a human's body and some of them can be beneficial while others may really cause harm.
If more studies will confirm the finding of the two researchers, then a potential next step to develop drugs and treatment can be underway.
