Using new methods to examine the gut microbiome of men with prostate cancer, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston have found that 5 Types of Bacteria Linked to Aggressive Prostate Cancer are more prevalent in the guts of men with aggressive forms of the disease. The findings offer potential new ways to detect and fight this serious form of cancer, which affects about one in seven men in the United States during their lifetimes. Findings from the study were published today in mSystems.
What is prostate cancer?
The prostate is a small gland located underneath the bladder in men and is part of the male reproductive system. The prostate is part of the male reproductive system and produces fluid that helps sperm move. About 1 in 6 men over the age of 50 are diagnosed with prostate cancer, which makes it more common than lung cancer among men. In fact, one out of 36 men will be diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer, making it a significant public health issue.
Although prostate cancer is not particularly common, it can be deadly. In fact, prostate cancer is one of three cancers that make up most male deaths in America. Since many people are unfamiliar with prostate cancer, there’s a lot of confusion about what it actually is and how it affects men; we’ll try to shed some light on these topics today. First, let’s define prostate cancer: as its name suggests, it starts in or around a man’s prostate gland. Most cases involve small tumors that grow slowly; these types may never cause any symptoms at all or lead to incontinence and impotence for older men.
What are the 5 types of bacteria identified in prostate cancer?
Researchers have identified five types of bacteria associated with aggressive prostate cancer, and they say their findings could lead to new treatments for the disease. The five types of bacteria were common in urine and tissue samples from men with aggressive prostate cancer, according to the team at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the United Kingdom. All of the bacteria are anaerobic, meaning they can grow without oxygen present, the researchers reported. For the study, the investigators analyzed urine or tissue samples from more than 600 patients with or without prostate cancer.
“We already know of some strong associations between infections and cancer. For example, the presence of Helicobacter pylori bacteria in the digestive tract can lead to stomach ulcers and is associated with stomach cancer, and some types of the HPV virus can cause cervical cancer,” project leader Colin Cooper, a professor at UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said in a university news release.
“We wanted to find out whether bacteria could be linked to the way prostate cancer grows and spreads,” Cooper explained.
Prostate cancer is more commonly a disease men die with rather than from, according to co-author Jeremy Clark, of Norwich Medical School.
“And little is known about what causes some prostate cancers to become more aggressive than others. We now have evidence that certain bacteria are involved in this and are part of the puzzle,” Clark added.
Along with pinpointing the five types of bacteria, the researchers also identified potential biological mechanisms of how these bacteria may be linked to cancer.
SOURCE: the University of East Anglia, news release, April 20, 2022, Robert Preidt(HealthDay Reporter
According to new research, there are five types of bacteria that have been linked with an increased risk for prostate cancer. These bacteria include Streptococcus, Veillonella, Fusobacterium, Prevotella, and Gemella. The presence of these bacteria in a man’s body has been shown to increase his risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer by almost 50 percent. The study was conducted by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and is published in PLOS ONE.
The researchers found that men who had two or more strains of bacteria were 48 percent more likely to develop aggressive prostate cancer than those who had one or none at all. Furthermore, men who had four or more strains were 82 percent more likely to develop aggressive prostate cancer than those who had one or none at all. Additionally, aggressive prostate cancer was defined as tumors that grow quickly and spread beyond their initial site. This can lead to death within three years if left untreated.
Of course, it’s important to note that bacteria alone do not cause prostate cancer; however, it does appear as though they may be a contributing factor to its development.
