(Press-News.org) Patients with pancreatic cancer have a different and distinct profile of specific bacteria in their saliva compared to healthy controls and even patients with other cancers or pancreatic diseases, according to research presented today at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. These findings could form the basis for a test to diagnose the disease in its early stages.
"Our studies suggest that ratios of particular types of bacteria found in saliva may be indicative of pancreatic cancer," says Pedro Torres of San Diego State University who presented the research.
In the United States, approximately 40,000 people die every year due to pancreatic adenocarcinoma, making it the fourth leading cause of cancer related death. Patients diagnosed in the early stages of pancreatic cancer have a 5-year survival rate of 21.5%. Unfortunately symptoms do not appear until after the cancer has become untreatable in the vast majority of cases, says Torres.
In the study, Torres and his colleagues compared the diversity of saliva bacteria across 131 patients, 63 female and 68 male, being treated at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Moores Cancer Center. Of these patients, 14 had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, 13 with pancreatic disease, 22 with other forms of cancer and 10 disease free. Results showed that patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer had higher levels of two particular oral bacteria, Leptotrichia and Campylobacter, when compared to any other healthy or diseased state including non-cancerous pancreatic disease. Those with pancreatic cancer also had lower levels of Streptococcus, Treponema and Veillonella.
"Our results suggest the presence of a consistently distinct microbial profile for pancreatic cancer," says Torres. "We may be able to detect pancreatic cancer at its early stages by taking individuals' saliva and looking at the ratios of these bacteria."
INFORMATION:
The American Society for Microbiology is the largest single life science society, composed of over 39,000 scientists and health professionals. ASM's mission is to advance the microbiological sciences as a vehicle for understanding life processes and to apply and communicate this knowledge for the improvement of health and environmental and economic well-being worldwide.
Bacteria in mouth may diagnose pancreatic cancer
2014-05-18
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Temple-led study finds no benefit in taking statin drugs for COPD exacerbation prevention
2014-05-18
(Philadelphia, PA) – A statin drug commonly used to lower cholesterol is not effective in reducing the number and severity of flare ups from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to the results of a large multicenter clinical trial designed and directed by Gerard J. Criner, MD, Director of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA.
Dr. Criner, who served as the study's Principal Investigator, will report the results on May 18 at the American Thoracic Society's annual international scientific meeting in San ...
QVAR® real-world study to be presented at annual ATS International Conference
2014-05-18
Jerusalem, May 18, 2014 – Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., (NYSE: TEVA) today announced that results from a real-life, retrospective, observational study of QVAR® will be presented at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2014 International Conference in San Diego on May 18, 2014. QVAR® is an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) indicated in the maintenance treatment of asthma as a prophylactic therapy in patients 5 years of age and older.
Data to be presented at the meeting evaluated the benefit of treating asthma with small particle treatments, like QVAR®, in comparison ...
Study debunks common myth that urine is sterile
2014-05-18
Bacteria live in the bladders of healthy women, discrediting the common belief that normal urine is sterile. This finding was presented today by researchers from Loyola University Chicago at the 114th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Boston.
"Doctors have been trained to believe that urine is germ-free," said Linda Brubaker, MD, MS, co-investigator and dean, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine (SSOM). "These findings challenge this notion, so this research opens the door to exciting new possibilities for patient treatment." ...
Gum disease bacteria may cause heart disease
2014-05-18
A University of Florida study shows that the same bacteria that cause gum disease also promotes heart disease – a discovery that could change the way heart disease is diagnosed and treated. Researchers report their findings today at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.
"We report evidence that introduction of oral bacteria into the bloodstream in mice increased risk factors for atherosclerotic heart disease. Our hope is that the American Heart Association will acknowledge causal links between oral disease and increased heart disease. That will ...
Painkillers may decrease susceptibility to recurring urinary infections
2014-05-18
Women plagued by repeated urinary tract infections may be able to prevent the infections with help from over-the-counter painkillers, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.
Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that inhibiting COX-2, an immune protein that causes inflammation, eliminated recurrent urinary tract infections in mice. COX-2 is one of the proteins blocked by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen.
"If we can confirm this link in clinical ...
Bacteria in urine could contribute to overactive bladder
2014-05-18
Contrary to popular belief, urine is not sterile and the bacteria in it may be associated with overactive bladder (OAB) in some women, according to research presented today at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.
"The presence of certain bacteria in women with overactive bladder appear associated with OAB symptoms," said Evann Hilt, lead investigator and second-year master's student at Loyola University Chicago.
For years doctors have been trained to believe that urine is germ-free. In 2012, Hilt's coauthors used modern, DNA-based detection ...
Heart failure hospitalization more than doubles in IBD flares
2014-05-18
Athens, 18 May 2014: Heart failure hospitalisation more than doubles during inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) flares, according to a study of more than 5 million Danish people. The research was presented today at the Heart Failure Congress 2014, held 17-20 May, in Athens, Greece. The Congress is the main annual meeting of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology.
Dr Søren L. Kristensen, lead author, said: "Previous studies have shown an association between chronic inflammatory diseases (psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ...
Beyond GDP: Birth weight, hours slept, eyeglasses among innovative yardsticks of well-being, wealth
2014-05-18
Birth weight, hours slept, eyeglasses, city birds, washing machines, teenage schoolgirls and other quantifiable signals of well-being can help measure the wealth of a nation beyond Gross Domestic Product, experts say.
Moving beyond GDP to sustainability — the focus of a UN-backed high-level symposium May 19 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — requires broad indicators of a nation's social and environmental well-being to complement measures of economic production and income.
"World leaders are acknowledging GDP's limitations, as well as the need for broader measures to evaluate ...
PARADIGM-HF trial stopped early for benefit
2014-05-18
p>Athens, 16 May 2014: The PARADIGM-HF trial has been stopped early for a benefit to patients that was overwhelmingly statistically significant. In the largest ever study of a heart failure treatment, LCZ696 won a head to head comparison with gold standard treatment and improved the primary composite endpoint of cardiovascular death or heart failure hospitalisation, and reduced cardiovascular mortality alone.
The latest update on the trial, describing the design and baseline characteristics of patients, was presented today at the Heart Failure Congress 2014 by Professor ...
Clinicians urged to consider spironolactone in HFPEF despite TOPCAT results
2014-05-18
Athens, 18 May 2014: Clinicians have been urged to consider using spironolactone in their patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF) after a post-hoc analysis of the TOPCAT trial showed benefit in patients from the Americas.
The research was presented today at the Heart Failure Congress 2014 in Athens, Greece. The Congress is the main annual meeting of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology.
Professor Bertram Pitt said: "We've had many studies showing that ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta blockers ...