Loading...
About 15 years ago, research hinted that a particular bacterial species — Fusobacterium nucleatum — might cause colorectal cancer (CRC; NEJM JW Gen Med Dec 1 2011 and Genome Res 2012; 22:292). The bacterium stimulated growth of CRC cells in a laboratory dish and generated tumors in the colons of mice that were prone to develop CRC (NEJM JW Gen Med Nov 1 2013 and Cell Host Microbe 2013; 14:195). When mice with colorectal tumors induced by the bacterium were treated with an antibacterial agent, tumor growth slowed (NEJM JW Gen Med Feb 15 2018 and Science 2017; 358:1443). In addition, F. nucleatum was identified in malignant cells of CRC tumor specimens from nearly 50% of 500 patients and was cultured from primary tumors and metastases.
Althoug…