Findings reported in the The Journal of Virology, in a paper titled “Short Chain Fatty Acids From Periodontal Pathogens Suppress HDACs, EZH2, and SUV39H1 to Promote Kaposi’s Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Replication” have shown that there are potentially two bacteria that allow the viruses that cause oral cancer to thrive.
Case Western Researchers in a 21-patient trial set out to determine why some people get oral cancers while others do not. The procedure allowed them to split the 21 patients into two groups. Group one consisted of patients that had an average age of 50 years and chronic gum disease and group two had an average age 26 with healthy teeth and gums. The researchers studied the bacteria in the mouths of both groups and found that the bacteria produced in the mouths of people with chronic gum disease contained a high level of the bacteria porphyromonas gingivalis and fusobacterium nucleatum, and that these bacteria created an environment that assists the growth of certain viruses that have been linked to oral cancer.
This discovery could lead to early saliva testing and prevention protocols that could be put in place that would allow for the early detection of oral cancers, prevention, monitoring and treatment of oral cancer before it develops into a malignancy. These early studies are promising in our nation’s battle against oral cancers. Further research to explore the relevance of this finding is ongoing.
Source: Golden Dental Wellness. Location: 444 Community Dr., Ste. 204, Manhasset. For more information, call 516-627-8400, email [email protected] or visit GoldenSmile.com. See ad on page 17.
