New research suggests that there may be a link between certain types of germs found in the mouth and the likelihood of developing pancreatic cancer.

“We identified two types of bacteria that are associated with a higher risk for pancreatic cancer and have been tied in the past to such diseases as periodontitis, or inflammation of the gums,” said lead researcher Jiyoung Ahn, an associate professor of population health at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York. Ahn said her team found an association between the bacteria and pancreatic cancer, but they “cannot tell if this bacteria causes the cancer.”

Bacteria and Pancreatic Cancer

The study has been in the works for some time. Researchers took oral samples of a large group of individuals and tracked the health of each person. Over the course of 10 years, 361 people who gave a sample developed pancreatic cancer. Those samples were compared to the oral swabs of 371 participants who didn’t develop pancreatic cancer during that decade.

After analyzing the bacteria in the samples provided by both groups, researchers uncovered that one strain of mouth bacteria was associated with a 59 percent increased risk for pancreatic cancer in people who carried the strain, while the other bacteria was associated with a 119 percent increase in pancreatic cancer development. Researchers noted that that was a comparative risk increase between the two groups, and the absolute risk of developing pancreatic cancer remains low.

Connections & Theories

Researchers don’t exactly know why the presence of the strains is associated with an increased risk of future pancreatic cancer development, but they have a theory. Ahn said that people who carry these germs may be more susceptible to inflammation, and inflammation has been linked to cancer.

Ahn concluded by saying more research is needed to better understand the association because it could be extremely beneficial. Currently, there’s no effective screening test for pancreatic cancer, and the U.S. National Cancer Institute estimates that more than 45,000 Americans are diagnosed with the condition each year. If the study leads to some sort of screening test, we may be better able to diagnose the condition at an earlier stage and improve pancreatic cancer treatment.