Unveiling a Potential Link: Exploring Fusobacterium Nucleatum’s Role in Colorectal Cancer
Researchers have unearthed a novel strain of bacteria potentially linked to the surge in colon or colorectal cancer incidences.A study, detailed in the journal Nature, revealed the prevalence of a specific bacterium capable of safeguarding tumor cells against anti-cancer medications in 50% of the tumors analyzed.
Cancer
Conducted by scientists from the Fred Hutch Cancer Center in the US, the study posits that this finding could revolutionize therapeutic strategies and early detection methods for colorectal cancer, a condition ranking among the top ten most prevalent cancers in India.
According to the research, this bacterium, commonly found in the oral cavity, can migrate to the gut and proliferate within colon cancer tumors.
Moreover, this microorganism is implicated in propelling advancement and exacerbating patient outcomes post- treatment.
By scrutinizing colorectal tumors excised from 200 individuals, researchers gauged the abundance of Fusobacterium nucleatum, a known tumor-invading bacterium.
In approximately half of the cases, a particular subtype of the bacterium exhibited elevated levels in tumor tissue compared to healthy counterparts.
Additionally, the microbe was more abundant in stool samples of colon patients relative to those from healthy subjects.
The researchers sought to unravel the mechanisms by which this microorganism traverses from its usual habitat in the mouth to a remote location in the lower gut, and its role in promoting
growth.
Initially believed to consist of a single subspecies, Fusobacterium nucleatum within colorectal cancer tumors was discovered to comprise two distinct lineages, or “clades.”
Through genetic dissection of these clades, the researchers discerned that the tumor-infiltrating Fna C2 type had acquired unique genetic characteristics facilitating its migration from the mouth, traversing the stomach’s acidic environment, and thriving in the lower gastrointestinal tract (GI).
A comparative analysis of tumor tissue and healthy tissue from colon cancer patients underscored that only the Fna C2 subtype was significantly enriched in colorectal tumor tissue and instrumental in fueling cancer progression.
