Colorectal Cancer News

Bacteria May Predict Chances of Colon Cancer

A new study has shown that certain the existence of some germs "are more frequently detected in subjects with polyps, early lesions that can develop into cancer, while other bacterial signatures are less frequently observed in such individuals," according to a news release by a University of Florida researcher.

In the study, Tyler Culpepper and other researchers examined 91 patients and took biopsy samples from their colons, analyzing the bacteria in 30 people who had at least one polyp and 30 people who did not have polyps.

They discovered some bacterial "signatures" only in those who had polyps and other signatures only in patients who did not have polyps. Some bacteria were more common in one group and some in the other group. This suggests that future screening options could possibly detect signs of cancer prevalence by measuring bacteria levels.

References
Health Day. Bacteria May Predict Chances of Colon Cancer. Bloomberg Businessweek. 2010 May 25.

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