Oral Bacteria Help Diagnose Pancreatic Cancer, Researchers Claim

A specific bacteria present in the saliva may be indicative of pancreatic cancer, a new study suggests.

Researchers at San Diego State University found that people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer  have a different and distinct profile of specific bacteria that is present in their saliva. It is these bacteria that help diagnose pancreatic cancer in the initial stages.

"Our studies suggest that ratios of particular types of bacteria found in saliva may be indicative of pancreatic cancer," study researcher Pedro Torres of San Diego State University, said in a statement.

To proceed with the finding, the researchers compared the diversity of saliva bacteria in 131 patients in which 63 were females and 68 were male.  These subjects were being treated at the University of California, San Diego Moores Cancer Center.

Out of 131 patients, 14 were diagnosed as having pancreatic cancer, 13 had pancreatic diseases,  22 had other forms of cancer and 10 of the subjects were disease free. 

On evaluating the subjects the researchers noticed that those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer had higher levels of two specific oral bacteria, namely Leptotrichia and Campylobacter. The saliva of the healthy subjects or those with non cancerous pancreatic disease lacked the particular oral bacteria.

Apart from this subjects with pancreatic cancer also had low level of streptococcus, Treponema and Veillonella.

"Our results suggest the presence of a consistently distinct microbial profile for pancreatic cancer," said 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."

It is estimated that nearly 40,000 people die every year due to pancreatic adenocarcinoma due to which it is listed as the fourth leading cause of cancer related death.  Those diagnosed in the early stages with pancreatic cancer have a 5-year survival rate of 21.5 percent. But this is challenging to detect as this condition does not display any evident symptoms initially until after the cancer becomes untreatable.

This finding was documented in the American Society for Microbiology.