Possible link between bacterium, colon cancer found

[Celebration]

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-link-bacterium-colon-cancer.html

For the first time, a specific microorganism has been found to be associated with human colorectal cancer. In two studies published online today in Genome Research, independent research teams have identified Fusobacterium in colon cancer tissue, a finding that could open new avenues for diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

...............................

Two independent research teams have now identified a potential link between a microorganism and colon cancer, making the unexpected observation that a single genus of bacteria, Fusobacterium, is found more often in colon cancer tissues than normal tissue.

"This was especially surprising because although Fusobacterium, the bacterium we found in colon tumors, is a known pathogen," said Dr. Robert Holt of the BC Cancer Agency and Simon Fraser University, and senior author of one of the reports, "it is a very rare constituent of the normal gut microbiome and has not been associated previously with cancer."

"It was also surprising that … Fusobacterium has also previously been reported to be associated to be with ulcerative colitis, which is itself a risk factor for colon cancer," noted Dr. Matthew Meyerson of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and senior author of the other study.

[saras]

1. The next step - what leads to more or less of this bacterium in your gut?

[Celebration]

2. doctors and researchers need to pay a lot more attention to this

A combination of probiotics and prebiotics could help. I guess stool samples would tell us the existence of these (??)

I found this chart interesting--

http://books.google.com/books?id=A-AiYsGTd38C&pg=PA347&lpg=PA347&dq=Fusobacterium+inulin&source=bl&ots=zG2SaLdhjj&sig=SPNtmpugu5wwswo6AQgJ8qE1J6o&hl=en&ei=U46dTtfQBsXXiAKE9u3oCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CHUQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q&f=false

I got interested in inulin after it dramatically helped a friend of mine who had gut issues. But I don't think she ever had any sort of assay done on exactly the composition of her gut bacteria. This is despite having issues for decades. Maybe it is difficult and costly, I don't really know.

[Avalux]

7. A biopsy and culture of the tissue in the colon would isolate fusobacterium.

Fusobacterium is a pathogen and can cause acute oropharyngeal infections and bacteremia; depends on where it colonizes. If it colonizes in the colon, then it's quite possible tissue changes can lead to cancer. Since it's a pathogen, antibiotics would be in order to eradicate it, probably metronizadole.

[WhiteTara]

13. Wouldn't that kill the rest of the flora allowing the

yeast to flourish?

[WhiteTara]

10. I drank bottles of probiotics.

Every time I felt a gut twinge, I drank some. I drank about a bottle a week and after about 2 months, my gut feels entirely healed. Heart burn, acid reflux, colitis all were a daily part of my life for years. A friend of mine did the same thing and she calls me from time to time just to say thanks for telling her as her life has changed.

[cilla4progress]

11. Make our own keifer

Starting last winter. No colds or flus either! Hadn't known: 70 per cent of immunity is in the gut!

[WhiteTara]

12. I didn't know that either.nt

[glinda]

14. Where does one get good probiotics?

[Avalux]

4. Treatment with antibiotics. n/t

[Avalux]

5. Dupe n/t

[Why Syzygy]

3. It is

definitely in the NEWS!

http://www.google.com/search?q=Fusobacterium&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#q=Fusobacterium&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=3cr&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=imvnsub&source=univ&tbm=nws&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=eJadTuD8Jem2sQLC5cnsCQ&ved=0CFwQqAI&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=1110932681cb174&biw=1366&bih=628

[Avalux]

6. Great info, thank you.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if a course of antibiotics could prevent colon cancer? :hi:

[MorningGlow]

8. Colon cancer runs in my family on my mom's side

My grandmother died of it and my mom is screened for it regularly. I'm hoping that by the time I get old enough for it to be a major concern, they'll have this figured out.

Thank goodness my doctor is very interested in checking for good gut bacteria; I feel like I've got an advantage, with her paying attention to it already--maybe it'll cut down on the likelihood of my getting colon cancer later on.

[silverweb]

15. Same here.

Nearly all the women on my mother's side of the family for 3 generations have developed colon cancer later in life (in their late 70s to 80s), some with a long history prior to that of inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, or other digestive condition.

I'm clear so far and still too young by the family history, but knowing that probiotics can't hurt and might help, I'm quite ready to research brands and buy.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

9. Perhaps a poofusion would make a difference.... they said it works, but then you know

how they like to exaggerate.