Research shows that combining two bacterial strains living in the large intestine can significantly increase the risk of developing cancer.
Scientists from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore conducted experiments on mice, which showed that abnormal bacterial flora can promote inflammatory processes in the large intestine, causing damage to the mucosa and, consequently, the development of neoplastic changes.
According to the magazine “Science”, the team led by Dr. Christine M. Dejea focused for this purpose on samples taken from patients with genetic predisposition to develop colorectal cancer. These are people who suffer from familial adenomatous polyposis. These people have hundreds of polyps in their large intestines. In almost all cases untreated patients develop colorectal cancer, even before the age of 40.
Doctors explain that in patients with this condition they found whole sets of bacteria, the most numerous of which were Escherichia coli and Bacteroides fragilis. Their presence was associated with DNA damage and the dominance of genes associated with the development of colorectal cancer.
In that study, scientists from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore transferred these bacteria to the body of mice. When one species was transplanted, a number of tumors developed in the large intestine of the rodents, which doctors assessed as removable. However, in a situation where both strains of bacteria were placed in the intestines of mice, there were definitely more tumors, and the chances of survival of the animals dropped to almost zero.
Scientists suggest that the salvation for people with clinically diagnosed familial adenomatous polyposis could be the elimination of the bacteria Escherichia coli and Bacteroides fragilis from the colon flora.
Colorectal cancer is diagnosed every year in over 18. Poles, and 11 thousand. leads to death. It is one of the most insidious cancers as it develops without any symptoms for many years (it can take up to 10 years before it attacks severely). However, the following should be worrying:
- Disturbing constipation – as the cancer grows (i.e. when polyps inside the intestine grow), its internal cross-section (the so-called intestinal lumen) decreases. In very advanced cancer, this can lead to a blockage in the intestine.
- Change in bowel movements that cannot be explained by a change in diet or lifestyle.
- Diarrhea combined with large amounts of gas that last for many weeks.
- Anemia, which we most often feel in the form of decreased efficiency, greater susceptibility to fatigue and increased temperature.
- Pain in the abdomen and lower back, discomfort, nausea, vomiting and difficulty swallowing.
- Nausea and a feeling of incomplete bowel movements.
- Blood stains on paper or underwear, rectal bleeding. Here, it is very important to delimit any bleeding that may be caused by rupture of the hemorrhoids, i.e. hemorrhoids.
The mainstay of colorectal cancer prevention is colonoscopy. Every person (regardless of gender) aged 50 or over should undergo this examination.
On the basis of votcza.pl