breast cancer

Gum Disease and Breast Cancer: Why Oral Health May Matter More Than You Think

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Most people think of gum disease as a dental problem that leads to bleeding gums, bad breath, bone loss, or even tooth loss. But new research (Sheetal Parida, Deeptashree Nandi, Deepak Verma, Mingyang Yi, Ashutosh Yende, Jessica Queen, Kathleen L. Gabrielson, Cynthia L. Sears, Dipali Sharma. A pro-carcinogenic oral microbe internalized by breast cancer cells promotes mammary tumorigenesis. Cell Communication and Signaling, 2026) suggests that oral bacteria linked to gum disease may also play a role in breast cancer growth and spread. That makes this more than just a dentistry issue. It is another reminder that oral health and overall health are closely connected. The bacterium highlighted in the research is Fusobacterium nucleatum, a microbe commonly associated with periodontal disease. Researchers found that it may travel from the mouth into the bloodstream and reach breast tissue, where it can contribute to inflammation, … Read more

Loneliness can tax the Immune System

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Interesting research has been conducted by investigators from the Ohio State University. The research links loneliness to a number of dysfunctional immune responses which suggests loneliness may adversely affect overall health. The results were based on a series of studies on two different groups: 1) a healthy group of overweight middle-aged adults and 2) a group of breast cancer survivors with an average age of 51. Loneliness was measured using the UCLA Loneliness Scale. The researchers measured presence of antibodies against Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus in the breast cancer survivor group with 200 participants. Lonelier participants were found to have higher levels of antibodies against cytomegalovirus compared to less lonely participants. Further, those higher antibody levels were related to more depression, pain, and fatigue symptoms. No difference was found for Epstein-Barr virus antibody levels. Previous research has shown that stress … Read more

Periodontal disease may associate with breast cancer

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An interesting study was published in Breast Cancer Res Treat (vol 127, pages 497 – 502, 2011) titled “Periodontal disease may associate with breast cancer,” by Birgitta Soder and et al. The study evaluated the association between periodontal disease and the incidence of breast cancer in a prospective study of 3273 randomly selected subjects aged 30 to 40 at baseline. The authors open by discussing how periodontal disease is characterized by chronic infection and inflammation leading to destruction of the bone surrounding the teeth. Some studies estimate that between 15 to 35% of the adult population in industrialized countries suffers from periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is initiated by a biofilm of bacteria on the teeth which triggers an immune-inflammatory response in the adjacent host tissues. Periodontal disease is of particular importance when considering whether or not to have wisdom teeth … Read more

Rethink Breast Cancer: Your Man Reminder

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A very interesting video was posted to YoutTube last week to help raise awareness for breast cancer. Several shirtless young men appear to show how to check for lumps in an effort to raise breast cancer awareness for younger women. This is a Canadian campaign by a charity called Rethink Breast Cancer. http://rethinkbreastcancer.com/ Source: The Sydney Morning Herald. Sacha Molitorisz. Steamy spin sells health message. October 14, 2011. http://www.smh.com.au/business/marketing/steamy-spin-sells-health-message-20111013-1ln0z.html