• Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice
Podcast
  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice
24/7 Health News
No Result
View All Result
Home Article

Prostate cancer linked to bacteria, raising hope of new test and treatment

April 20, 2022
in Article
0
Prostate cancer linked to bacteria, raising hope of new test and treatment
file 20220420 24727

Shidlovski/Shutterstock

Every year, around 12,000 men in the UK die from prostate cancer, but many more die with prostate cancer than from it. So knowing whether the disease is going to advance rapidly or not is important for knowing who to treat.

Our latest study, published in European Urology Oncology, sheds some light on understanding which cancers will progress rapidly and aggressively and which won’t. Part of the answer lies with five types of bacteria.

For some years, we have known that pathogens (bacteria and viruses) can cause cancer. We know, for example, that Helicobacter pylori is associated with stomach cancer and that the human papillomavirus (HPV) can cause cervical cancer. There is also growing evidence that the bacteria Fusobacterium nucleatum is associated with colorectal cancer.

Here at Norwich Medical School, along with our colleagues at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, the Quadram Institute, and others, we have identified five types (genera) of bacteria linked to aggressive prostate cancer. These are Anaerococcus, Peptoniphilus, Porphyromonas, Fenollaria and Fusobacterium. We call these the “anaerobic bacteria biomarkers set”, or ABBS.

Bacteria genera are further subdivided into “species”. And here we found four entirely new species of bacteria, three of which are linked to the genera associated with aggressive prostate cancer.

We named two of the new bacteria species after two of the study’s funders: Porphyromonas bobii, after the Bob Champion Cancer Trust and Varibaculum prostatecancerukia, after Prostate Cancer UK.

We examined prostate tissue and urine samples from over 600 men with and without prostate cancer, and when any of the five specific anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that can grow in the absence of oxygen) were detected in patient samples, it was associated with more rapid progression of cancer to aggressive disease.

Indeed, men who had one or more of the bacteria were nearly three times more likely to see their early stage cancer progress to advanced disease, compared with men who had none of the bacteria in their urine or prostate.

We also discovered possible mechanisms of how these bacteria may be linked to cancer, including potential effects on the metabolism of the host human cells.

Towards a better test

Current tests for prostate cancer, such as the PSA test and a biopsy, are not always able to predict which cancers will be harmful. We hope that a new test that looks for the ABBS group of bacteria will be better able to detect and screen for potentially aggressive prostate cancer. The new test will be similar to the tests developed to detect Helicobacter pylori associated with stomach cancer or HPV linked to cervical cancer.

A doctor holding a urine sample jar.
The discovery could lead to new tests for prostate cancer.
Tero Vesalainen/Shutterstock

Together with our colleagues, we are currently working on this. We are planning to develop robust, rapid tests to detect the five signature bacteria and to investigate new treatment options to remove these bacteria from the urinary tract, bladder and prostate.

Despite our exciting discovery, there are still important questions to answer, such as, are the bacteria causing prostate cancer? If so, how? Also, can we use treatment options to eradicate the bacteria to prevent the development of aggressive disease? Hopefully, we will have answers to these questions soon.

The Conversation

Rachel Hurst received funding from Prostate Cancer UK and the Bob Champion Cancer Trust. Rachel Hurst is listed as a coinventor on a patent application (UK Patent Application No. 2200682.9) from the University of East Anglia/UEA Enterprises Limited regarding the application of ABBS genera in prostate cancer

Colin Cooper receives funding from Prostate Cancer UK (research grant ref RIA15-ST2-029, MA-ETNA19-003), the Bob Champion Cancer Trust, and Big C Cancer Charity (ref 16-09R). We are grateful for and acknowledge support from the Masonic Charitable Foundation Successor to the Grand Charity, Movember, the King Family, and the Stephen Hargrave Trust. We also acknowledge funding from Cancer Research UK and Dallaglio Foundation that supported the ICGC project.

Jeremy Clark receives funding from Prostate Cancer UK.

ShareTweetSharePin
Previous Post

Beer and spirits have more detrimental effects on the waistline and on cardiovascular disease risk than red or white wine

Next Post

Should you wear a mask on a plane, bus or train when there’s no mandate? 4 essential reads to help you decide

Next Post
Should you wear a mask on a plane, bus or train when there’s no mandate? 4 essential reads to help you decide

Should you wear a mask on a plane, bus or train when there's no mandate? 4 essential reads to help you decide

Most Read

What causes stuttering? A speech pathology researcher explains the science and the misconceptions around this speech disorder

What causes stuttering? A speech pathology researcher explains the science and the misconceptions around this speech disorder

December 15, 2022
morning back pain

Morning Again Ache Trigger Is Not the Mattress

October 11, 2021
lower back pain relief exercises

5 decrease again ache aid workouts

October 11, 2021
3 years after legalization, we have shockingly little information about how it changed cannabis use and health harms

3 years after legalization, we have shockingly little information about how it changed cannabis use and health harms

October 15, 2021
Nasal vaccines promise to stop the COVID-19 virus before it gets to the lungs – an immunologist explains how they work

Nasal vaccines promise to stop the COVID-19 virus before it gets to the lungs – an immunologist explains how they work

December 14, 2022
bleeding in gum

When The Bleeding in gum Is Severe ?

October 11, 2021
Good Night Sleep

6 Causes of Good Evening Sleep

October 11, 2021

COVID vaccines: how one can pace up rollout in poorer international locations

October 5, 2021
Ten small changes you can make today to prevent weight gain

Ten small changes you can make today to prevent weight gain

October 12, 2021
Support and collaboration with health-care providers can help people make health decisions

Support and collaboration with health-care providers can help people make health decisions

December 16, 2021
Greece to make COVID vaccines mandatory for over-60s, but do vaccine mandates work?

Greece to make COVID vaccines mandatory for over-60s, but do vaccine mandates work?

December 1, 2021

Multiple sclerosis: the link with earlier infection just got stronger – new study

October 12, 2021
News of war can impact your mental health — here’s how to cope

Binge-eating disorder is more common than many realise, yet it’s rarely discussed – here’s what you need to know

December 2, 2022
Nurses’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination for their children are highly influenced by partisanship, a new study finds

Nurses’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination for their children are highly influenced by partisanship, a new study finds

December 2, 2022
Kick up your heels – ballroom dancing offers benefits to the aging brain and could help stave off dementia

Kick up your heels – ballroom dancing offers benefits to the aging brain and could help stave off dementia

January 3, 2023
How hot is too hot for the human body? Our lab found heat + humidity gets dangerous faster than many people realize

How hot is too hot for the human body? Our lab found heat + humidity gets dangerous faster than many people realize

July 6, 2022
The promise of repairing bones and tendons with human-made materials

The promise of repairing bones and tendons with human-made materials

January 4, 2022
As viral infections skyrocket, masks are still a tried-and-true way to help keep yourself and others safe

As viral infections skyrocket, masks are still a tried-and-true way to help keep yourself and others safe

December 14, 2022
How regulatory agencies, not the courts, are imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates

How regulatory agencies, not the courts, are imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates

October 24, 2021
Heart disease risk from saturated fats may depend on what foods they come from – new research

Heart disease risk from saturated fats may depend on what foods they come from – new research

November 29, 2021
Late night eating may cause greater weight gain – new research points to why

Late night eating may cause greater weight gain – new research points to why

October 12, 2022

10 Things I Learned During My Body Transformation

October 12, 2021

7 Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes

October 12, 2021
Nobel prize: how chilli peppers helped researchers uncover how humans feel pain

Nobel prize: how chilli peppers helped researchers uncover how humans feel pain

October 12, 2021
How air filters can make COVID wards safer for patients and staff

How air filters can make COVID wards safer for patients and staff

December 1, 2021
GPs don’t give useful weight-loss advice – new study

GPs don’t give useful weight-loss advice – new study

December 16, 2022
Four ways to avoid gaining weight over the festive period – but also why you shouldn’t fret about it too much

Four ways to avoid gaining weight over the festive period – but also why you shouldn’t fret about it too much

December 22, 2022
Five ways to avoid pain and injury when starting a new exercise regime

Five ways to avoid pain and injury when starting a new exercise regime

December 30, 2022
Why suicide prevention support is crucial for people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

Why suicide prevention support is crucial for people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

September 28, 2022
Too hot to handle: Climate considerations for youth sport during the hottest years on record

Too hot to handle: Climate considerations for youth sport during the hottest years on record

July 19, 2022
  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer

© 2020 DAILY HEALTH NEWS

  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice

© 2020 DAILY HEALTH NEWS