Breast Cancer Patients Show Different Gut Bacteria and Hydrogen Production
- Authors
- Anna Marciniak, Marzena Skrzypczak-Zielińska, Oliwia Zakerska-Banaszak, Elżbieta Nowakowska, Anna Kozaczka, Brunon Zemła, Andrzej Szpak, Dariusz Godlewski, Jadwiga Charzewska, Dorothy R. Pathak
- Journal
- Frontiers in Microbiology
- Year
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1538224
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Neutral
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Poland
- Health Condition
- Breast Cancer
- Body System
- Urogenital
TL;DR
This study found differences in the bacteria present in the urine and mouth of Polish breast cancer patients compared to healthy individuals, suggesting that these microbes might play a role in cancer development.
Key Finding
Breast cancer patients showed distinct differences in urinary and oral bacterial composition compared to healthy controls, including increased Gammaproteobacteria in urine and elevated levels of specific bacterial families in the mouth, along with predicted increases in hydrogen production pathways.
Summary
This pilot study compared the bacteria and fungi living in the urine and mouth of 24 Polish women with breast cancer to 24 healthy women. Researchers found that breast cancer patients had different types and amounts of bacteria in their urine and saliva compared to healthy controls, including higher levels of certain bacteria and lower levels of others. The study also found that the bacteria in cancer patients' samples showed signs of producing more hydrogen, though the researchers note that more research is needed to understand what these differences actually mean for cancer development.
Practical Takeaway
This is a very small pilot study (24 patients per group) that identified correlations between microbiota differences and breast cancer, but it does not establish that these microbiota changes cause cancer or that modifying them would affect cancer risk or treatment. The mention of hydrogen production is incidental to the study's main focus on microbiota composition and should not be interpreted as evidence supporting hydrogen water for cancer prevention or treatment. Much larger studies are needed before any clinical applications can be considered.
Abstract (excerpt)
IntroductionThe human microbiota can be a critical component in the development and progression of various diseases, including cancer. This study aims to investigate the composition of the urinary and oral microbiota in Polish breast cancer (BC) patients relative to healthy controls (HCs)…