Researchers have found that postmenopausal women who had prior gum disease have a higher risk of cancer. The study was conducted by researchers at the University at Buffalo. The study is the first to find an association between periodontal disease and gallbladder cancer risk in women or men. The study also provided useful information on a number of cancer-specific sites.
The study included 65,869 postmenopausal women who were part of the Women’s Health Initiative, an ongoing national prospective study designed to investigate factors affecting disease and death risk in older U.S. women. Most women were non-Hispanic and the average age was 68. Participants were asked “has a dentist or dental hygienist ever told you that you had periodontal or gum disease?” Those women who had a history of gum disease had a 14% increased risk of overall cancer. A total of 7,149 cancers occurred in study participants with the the majority being breast cancer (2,416 cases).
The researchers found the risk associated with periodontal disease was highest for esophageal cancer. As the esophagus is close to the oral cavity it is possible periodontal pathogens may more easily gain access to and infect the esophageal mucosa and promote cancer. Gallbladder cancer risk also was high in women who reported a history of gum disease. The researchers feel that finding the association between esophageal and gallbladder cancer and prior gum disease is important.
Chronic inflammation has been implicated in cancer such as esophageal. It is known that periodontal bacteria promote inflammation and these bacteria have been isolated from many organ systems and some cancers including esophageal cancers. The researchers feel that it is important to determine if periodontal disease is an important risk of developing esophageal cancer, so that preventive measures can be promoted.
The elderly are more disproportionately affected by periodontal disease than the young, and the process of carcinogenesis for cancer typically occurs over many years. Therefore, the adverse effects of periodontal disease are more likely to be seen among postmenopausal women, simply because of their older age. This study helps promote the idea of taking care of your teeth and gums as it may help prevent cancer when you are old.
Reference: Ngozi N. Nwizu, and et al., Periodontal Disease and Incident Cancer Risk among Postmenopausal Women: Results from the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Cohort, Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention,vol. 26, issue 8, 2017.