NYU Langone researchers identified 27 species of oral bacteria and fungi that are closely tied  to pancreatic cancer, expanding on longstanding research that poor oral health increases risks due to the way saliva transfers bacteria into the pancreas. 

The September study was the most detailed of its kind, according to lead author and Ph.D. candidate Yixuan Meng, containing more than 180,000 participants and over 50,000 oral samples dating back to over two decades. Using a microbial risk score to assess patients’ chances of developing pancreatic cancer based on the presence of bacteria in the mouth, researchers found that individuals with higher risk scores were 3.5 times more likely to contract pancreatic cancer.

“Finding new modifiable risk factors is very important, because it can help us prevent this disease,” Grossman professor Jiyoung Ahn said in a statement to WSN. “Oral microbiome profiling could serve as a non-invasive biomarker to identify individuals at elevated risk who might benefit from enhanced surveillance — which is especially important given the lack of effective early detection methods for pancreatic cancer.”

Using spit samples to compare the DNA of individuals diagnosed with pancreatic cancer to a cancer-free control group, researchers found that Candida, a naturally occurring yeast that lives on the skin may significantly increase risk of pancreas cancer. In total, the group linked 24 new bacteria and fungi types to either higher or lower chances of pancreatic cancer, and reaffirmed previous findings for three others. They noted that because most of the study’s participants were white, its findings may not generalize to minority populations.

“The vast majority of pancreatic cancer cases are diagnosed once the disease has spread beyond the pancreas, leading to fewer treatment options and poorer outcomes,” Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Director of Scientific Communications Allison Rosenzweig, who did not contribute to the study, wrote in a statement to WSN. “Any tools that may be able to identify people at elevated risk of the disease are greatly needed and have the potential to make a significant impact on survival.”

Contact Zachary Karp at [email protected].