Possible breakthrough in cancer research: Bacteria can cause prostate cancer

In a potentially groundbreaking discovery, researchers have found bacteria that may be linked to prostate cancer tumors. Although the exact role of the microorganisms is still unknown, this new information could lead to the development of new and more effective treatments for prostate cancer. Your business will be like this guardians It has already been hailed as a potential revolution in the prevention and treatment of the deadliest form of the disease.

About 170 out of every 100,000 men develop prostate cancer each year in Germany

For their investigations, scientists led by the University of East Anglia, subjected the urine and prostate tissue of more than 600 men with and without prostate cancer to a sophisticated genetic analysis, and found five types of bacteria linked to the rapid progression of prostate cancer. the disease.

The results are in the journal European Urological Tumors It could lead to new screening programs and pave the way for personalized antibiotic treatments to protect men at high risk of disease. The The German Cancer Control Organization provides statistics on its website for disease:

“Statistically speaking, 169.8 out of 100,000 men in Germany are newly diagnosed with prostate cancer each year. A total of 70,100 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year. Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer among men. The average age at diagnosis is 71 years “.

Thanks to improved education and screening, diagnosis rates have risen sharply in recent years, but there are still no effective ways to prevent or treat aggressive prostate cancer. The new study provides clear evidence that bacteria play a role in the development of prostate cancer — and opens up exciting new avenues for research.

The Guardian quoted d. Hayley Luxton from Prostate Cancer UK. The findings could point to a turning point in the treatment of this disease.

The challenges of treatments remain to be mastered

However, lead scientist Colin Cooper, professor of cancer genetics at the University of East Anglia, admits that there is still an element of uncertainty. So it is possible that bacteria are not involved in the disease. For example, men with more aggressive cancers may be more likely to develop inflammation and infection in the prostate, which can lead to the presence of these bacteria. However, bacteria can be present but does not cause any harm. Accordingly, more research is needed to determine the role of these bacteria in prostate cancer.

The possibility of using an antibiotic to target the bacterial cause of disease appears to be a ray of hope for patients. However, significant challenges remain to make such treatment a reality. For example, antibiotics have found it difficult to penetrate the prostate, so any potential treatment would have to target specific bacteria heavily.

picture Eric Sucha employment pixabay