Oral infectious bacteria in dental plaque and saliva as risk factors in patients with esophageal cancer

Abstract

Background High levels of periodontopathic bacteria as well as Streptococcus anginosus were detected in cancer tissue from patients with esophageal cancer. An association between oral infectious bacteria and esophageal cancer has been reported. Methods Characteristics of the oral microbiota and periodontal conditions were studied as clinicopathologic factors in patients with esophageal cancer. The study included 61 patients with esophageal cancer and 62 matched individuals without any cancers. Samples of subgingival dental plaque and unstimulated saliva were collected to evaluate the prevalence and abundance of the following oral bacteria using a real‐time polymerase chain reaction assay: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola, and S. anginosus. Results In the cancer group, the prevalence of all bacteria, with the exception of F. nucleatum, in dental plaque; the prevalence of A. actinomycetemcomitans in saliva; the abundance of all bacteria, with the exception of F. nucleatum and P. intermedia, in dental plaque; and the abundance of A. actinomycetemcomitans and S. anginosus in saliva were significantly higher. Furthermore, a logistic regression analysis suggested that the prevalence of T. forsythia and S. anginosus in dental plaque and of A. actinomycetemcomitans in saliva, as well as a drinking habit, were associated with a high risk of esophageal cancer, with a high odds ratio. Conclusions The current findings have potential implications for the early diagnosis of esophageal cancer.

Toothbrushing frequency and gastric and upper aerodigestive tract cancer risk: A meta‐analysis

“…62,63 Recently, it has been reported that oral bacterium Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans may be associated with oesophageal cancer. 64 Local inflammation resulting from poor oral hygiene and intra-oral environment could lead to systemic inflammation. Patients with periodontal local infection elevated the level of circulating inflammatory markers, such as fibrinogen and C-reactive protein.…”

“…And the relationship between oral bacterium Streptococcus anginosus and oesophageal cancer or gastric cancer was often reported 62,63 . Recently, it has been reported that oral bacterium Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans may be associated with oesophageal cancer 64 . Local inflammation resulting from poor oral hygiene and intra‐oral environment could lead to systemic inflammation.…”

Quantitative difference of oral pathogen between individuals with gastric cancer and individuals without cancer

“…Our research group decided to include S. mutans and S. sobrinus in this study with gastric cancer, since these two gram-positive bacteria, associated with dental caries, had no statistical association with patients with precancerous gastric lesions in relation to control subjects. However, it is known that an altered oral microbiota has been associated with the development of periodontal pathogenic bacteria/oral bacteria and oral, esophageal, and pancreatic cancer [ 21 – 23 ]. In the present study, S. sobrinus was more frequent in patients with gastric cancer than in CF individuals.…”

“…The pathogenesis of periodontitis is related to important functions of periodontal bacteria, causing destruction of dental support tissue, which can lead to tooth loss [18]. Thus, the association of periodontal pathogens and pancreatic and oral cancer has been observed in epidemiological research (Table 1) [19][20][21][22][23].…”

Study adds evidence to link between gum disease and cancer risk

“…Posner points to one recent study published in Cancer that shows high levels of certain periodontopathic bacteria (found in saliva and dental plaque) in the cancer tissue of patients with esophageal cancer. 5 Furthermore, the presence of some of these bacteria, as well as a drinking habit, was associated with a high risk of esophageal cancer. The authors note that these findings could potentially aid in early diagnosis of the disease.…”