Since oral bacteria can indicate the risk of stomach cancer, using a simple mouthwash may help detect it early, according to a study.
Several differences were found in the oral microbiomes of patients with precancerous conditions compared to patients with cancer, indicating that microbiome changes may occur early in the progression of stomach cancer.
“We see that the oral microbiome and the stomach microbiome are interconnected, and knowing what bacteria live in your mouth tells us what the environment is like in your stomach,” Dr. Shruti Reddy Perati, an author and general surgery resident at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, said in a press release.
In the study, the researchers examined oral bacterial samples from 98 patients preparing for endoscopy. For comparison, this group included 30 people with stomach cancer, 30 with precancerous gastric lesions, and 38 healthy controls. They found clear differences in the oral microbiomes between the healthy group and the group of patients with cancer or precancerous lesions.
Interestingly, they observed minimal differences between samples taken from patients with precancerous lesions and those with cancer, suggesting that changes in the microbiome may occur early in the transformation of the stomach into cancer. Thus, oral bacteria themselves may serve as biomarkers for assessing the risk of developing stomach cancer.
Based on these findings, the researchers developed a model based on 13 bacterial genera that showed the most significant differences between the healthy control group and patients with cancer or precancerous lesions. According to a press release, they intend to conduct larger studies at multiple institutions to ensure their findings apply to a broader population.
“We were able to identify people who had precancerous lesions,” Perati said. “As a screening and prevention tool, this has enormous potential.”