Strange Article on AOL News

Hi,

Even 'Cancer Research' UK (speech marks added on purpose) seem to refute this one!

 Bacteria link to bowel cancer

By Jessica Laurence, Oct 18, 2011

Filed under: Health & wellbeing

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Scientists have said they believe a bacterium which causes tooth decay and skin ulcers could also be connected with bowel cancer.

The Fusobacterium has been identified in colon tumours by two different studies. Researchers told the Genome Research journal they did not yet know whether the bug's presence meant it was the cause of the cancer or not.

The bug has already been connected with ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease which raises the risk of bowel cancer.

Over 100 people a day are diagnosed with bowel cancer every day and it is the third most common cancer in the UK. More than 80% of cases occur in people aged over 60.

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The first study, headed by Dr Robert Holt from Simon Fraser University in Canada, managed to identify Fusobacterium's signature in RNA (genetic material similar to DNA) found in bowel cancer tumours.

Dr Matthew Meyerson from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in the US headed the other team, which discovered microbial sequences of DNA which indicated the presence of Fusobacterium.

Sarah Williams, of Cancer Research UK, told the BBC: "It's early days and we look forward to the results of more specific, in-depth studies."

"In the meantime, people can reduce their risk of bowel cancer by not smoking, cutting down on alcohol, keeping a healthy weight, being active, reducing the amount of red and processed meat in their diet and eating plenty of fibre."