People have a more than tripled risk of pancreatic cancer if their mouths contain 27 types of bacteria and fungi, including some directly linked to gum disease. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
A person's risk of pancreatic cancer might be tied to the microbes living in their mouths, a new study says.
People have a more than tripled risk of pancreatic cancer if their mouths contain 27 types of bacteria and fungi, including some directly linked to gum disease, researchers reported Thursday in JAMA Oncology.
"It is clearer than ever that brushing and flossing your teeth may not only help prevent periodontal disease but may also protect against cancer," co-senior author Dr. Richard Hayes, a professor of population health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, said in a news release.
Pancreatic cancer is considered a "silent killer," because there are few effective screening methods for catching it early. That makes it a highly lethal cancer, with a five-year survival rate of just 13%, researchers said in background notes.
