Quantitative difference of oral pathogen between individuals with gastric cancer and individuals without cancer

Letícia Martins Lamarão,Paulo Pimentel De Assumpção,Adriana Costa Guimarães,Carla De Castro Sant’ Anna,Carolina Rosal De Souza,Gyselle Ribeiro De Carvalho Oliveira,Carlos Machado Da Rocha,Danielle Queiroz Calcagno,Rommel Rodriguez Burbano,Marcelo De Oliveira Bahia

doi:10.18632/oncotarget.28034

Abstract

The loss of teeth and lack of oral hygiene have been associated with the risk of developing gastric cancer (GC) in several populations evidenced in epidemiological studies. In this study, we quantitatively compared the proportion of oral pathogens in individuals with gastric cancer and individuals without cancer in a referral hospital in the city of Belém, Brazil. This study evaluated 192 patients with GC and 192 patients without cancer. Periodontal clinical examination was performed, and all individuals were submitted to the collection of salivary and dental biofilms. When comparing the median periodontal indexes in the gastric and cancer-free groups, it was statistically significant (p < 0.001) in the gastric cancer group compared to the probing depth of the periodontal pocket. Levels of bacterial DNA were observed in saliva and dental plaque, with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) between individuals with cancer and without neoplasia in all the bacteria surveyed. Significant relationships (p < 0.001) between biological agents and GC have been found in bacterial species that cause high rates of periodontal pathology and caries. The results suggest a different quantitative association in the presence of oral pathogens between individuals without cancer and patients with GC. As noted, it cannot be said that the bacteria present in the oral cavity increase the risk of gastric cancer or are aggravating factors of the disease. However, it is worth mentioning that, as it is part of the digestive system, the lack of care for the oral cavity can negatively affect the treatment of patients with gastric cancer.

Highlights

Sporadic gastric cancer is the result of several molecular changes induced by environmental factors, including admission of diets with high salt levels; poor food preservation; increased N-nitrous compounds in the gastric mucosa; antioxidant/vitamin deficiencies; Helicobacter pylori infection; proinflammatory cytokine gene polymorphism; and prolonged consumption of alcohol and tobacco [1, 2]
It cannot be said that the bacteria present in the oral cavity increase the risk of gastric cancer or are aggravating factors of the disease
It is worth mentioning that, as it is part of the digestive system, the lack of care for the oral cavity can negatively affect the treatment of patients with gastric cancer

Summary

Introduction

Sporadic gastric cancer is the result of several molecular changes induced by environmental factors, including admission of diets with high salt levels (mainly with high sodium concentrations); poor food preservation; increased N-nitrous compounds in the gastric mucosa; antioxidant/vitamin deficiencies (e.g., vitamin C); Helicobacter pylori infection; proinflammatory cytokine gene polymorphism; and prolonged consumption of alcohol and tobacco [1, 2]. Gastric cancer has intrinsic resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and prevention is probably the most effective means of reducing mortality caused by this neoplasm [7]. Despite some advances in the treatment of gastric neoplasia, surgery is still the main curative treatment [8, 9]. These facts highlight the severity of this pathology and the need to develop new studies that may help in identifying the peculiar genetic characteristics of a tumor, increasing the ability to predict the behavior of this tumor, and allowing the establishment of more precise therapeutic approaches [10]

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