Cancer-fighting chewing gum cuts dangerous virus by 93% slashing risk of six types of disease

A SPECIALLY engineered chewing gum could reduce the risk of developing HPV – a cancer-causing virus – by up to 93 per cent, according to a study. The gum could also reduce levels of two types of bacteria linked to head and neck cancer down to almost zero. A specially engineer chewing gum could reduce levels of two bacteria linked to head and neck cancer Credit: Getty The gum could also reduce the risk of developing HPV, according to a study Credit: Getty Henry Daniell, of the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, led a research team to develop a bioengineered chewing gum to target microbes associated with cancer. They built on earlier research involving chewing gum made from lablab beans, which contain FRIL, a naturally occurring antiviral protein. Sign up for the Health newsletter Thank you! The team used oral samples from patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) to study three microbes associated with cancer, including human papillomavirus (HPV) and two bacteria species – Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) and Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn). The researchers then engineered the bean gum to contain protegrin, an antimicrobial peptide which is able to kill harmful bacteria. Tests showed that extracts from the bean gum lowered HPV levels by 93 per cent in saliva samples. Writing in Scientific Reports, researchers said that HPV levels also fell by 80 per cent in oral rinse samples. And a single dose brought levels of the Pg and Fn bacteria significantly down, they added. Most notably, the gum did not appear to harm beneficial bacteria that normally live in the mouth. Most read in Health This is contrary to radiation therapy used to treat some cancers, which can reduce helpful bacteria as well as harmful ones and also encourage the growth of disease-causing yeast. Researchers say the results of this study could help support the development of more accessible and affordable treatments in the future. What’s more, researchers believe it may eventually serve as an additional therapy alongside current cancer treatments or as a preventive measure against infection and transmission. Speaking about the study, Mr Daniell said: “The global increase in oropharyngeal cancer is linked to HPV infection. “And Pg and Fn infections worsen survival rates of untreated recurrent or metastatic oral cancer, even after surgery and risk-adjusted adjuvant, or supplemental, therapies.” “Lip and oral cavity cancer was the seventh leading cancer type in cancer incidence and mortality rate worldwide in adolescents, young adults, and middle-aged adults in 2022. “Our findings support the value of advancing these therapies to clinical trials as adjuvants with current treatments or as prophylaxis to prevent infection and transmission.” HPV is the name of a very common group of viruses that do not harm most people, but can occasionally cause genital warts or cancer, the NHS says. There are around 14 ‘high-risk’ types of HPV that increase the risk of some types of cancer and people infected with these for a long time are more likely to develop cancer. HPV is linked to six types of cancer – cervical, oropharyngeal (throat), anal, penile, vaginal, and vulvar cancers. Cervical cancer is the main type of cancer linked to the virus, but HPV can also increase the risk of some types of head and neck cancer, according to Cancer Research UK. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common form of cancer that begins in the tissues lining the mouth and throat. The disease can be particularly aggressive, and outcomes are often poor when it is discovered at a later stage. Comment now