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Poor Oral Hygiene Linked to Tripled Risk of Pancreatic Cancer, New Study Finds

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That unbrushed mouth may be doing more than turning people away — it could be quietly raising your risk of one of the deadliest forms of cancer.

A major new study from NYU Langone Health and its Perlmutter Cancer Center has identified more than two dozen microbes in the mouth that may significantly increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, a disease notorious for its low survival rate and late detection. The findings, published in JAMA Oncology, suggest that oral hygiene may play a far more critical role in cancer prevention than previously thought.

The research tracked 122,000 individuals over nine years, analyzing their saliva for bacterial and fungal DNA. Comparing data from 445 pancreatic cancer patients with 445 matched cancer-free individuals, researchers discovered 24 species of bacteria and fungi that appeared to alter pancreatic cancer risk — either increasing or decreasing it. Of those, 27 microbes in total were linked to a more than threefold increase in risk.

“It is clearer than ever that brushing and flossing your teeth may not only help prevent periodontal disease but may also protect against cancer,” said co-senior author Dr. Richard Hayes, professor in the Department of Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

The study proposes a mechanism as unsettling as it is fascinating: harmful oral microbes may travel from the mouth to the pancreas via swallowed saliva. Once there, they may contribute to inflammation or immune dysregulation, potentially creating a microenvironment favorable to cancer growth.

“Our findings provide new insight into the relationship between the oral microbiome and pancreatic cancer,” said lead author Yixuan Meng, a postdoctoral fellow at NYU. “These microbes could be influencing tumor development through systemic inflammation or by altering immune responses in the pancreas.”

Some of the bacteria flagged in the study are already known culprits in gum disease — a chronic infection that damages the soft tissue and bone supporting the teeth. Gum disease itself has been previously linked to systemic inflammation and an increased risk of several illnesses, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

This new research adds pancreatic cancer to that growing list. The inflammatory markers released by the bacteria involved in periodontal disease may contribute to a “pro-tumor environment,” the study suggests.

Cancer Vaccine Shows Breakthrough Promise in Preventing Recurrence of Disease

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A groundbreaking cancer vaccine has shown encouraging results in preventing deadly recurrences of pancreatic and colorectal tumors, according to new research led in part by UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The experimental vaccine, known as ELI-002 2P, was tested in a phase 1 clinical trial involving 25 patients who had recently undergone surgery to remove pancreatic or colorectal tumors. All of the participants showed “minimal residual disease,” meaning small traces of cancer DNA remained—putting them at extremely high risk of relapse.

Pancreatic cancer recurrence rates are notoriously grim, with more than 80% of patients seeing their disease return after surgery—nearly half within the first year. Colorectal cancer recurrence is also high, affecting 30% to 50% of patients, usually within the first two years.

The vaccine targets KRAS mutations, which drive over 90% of pancreatic cancers and about half of colorectal cancers. Delivered through a series of injections designed to trigger an immune response in the lymph nodes, the vaccine worked as intended for most patients:

21 out of 25 patients developed KRAS-specific T cells, showing their immune systems were actively fighting tumor-linked mutations.

Patients with stronger immune responses had significantly longer relapse-free survival compared to those with weaker responses.

For six patients (three pancreatic, three colorectal), the vaccine appeared to completely eliminate all disease biomarkers.

Nearly 20 months after treatment, the majority of patients with the strongest immune responses remained cancer-free.

“This is an exciting advance for patients with KRAS-driven cancers, particularly pancreatic cancer, where recurrence after standard treatment is almost a given and effective therapies are limited,” said Dr. Zev Wainberg, professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the trial’s lead author.

“We observed that patients who developed strong immune responses to the vaccine remained disease-free and survived for much longer than expected.”

Beyond KRAS, the vaccine also sparked responses to additional tumor mutations in 67% of patients, suggesting the therapy could help suppress broader cancer growth.

The findings, published in Nature Medicine, represent a potential turning point in how doctors approach two of the most aggressive and deadly cancers. Larger clinical trials are already being planned to further test the vaccine’s effectiveness.

Cancer Diagnoses Skyrocketed In Recent Years And Officials Are Just Figuring Out Why Now

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Local-stage colorectal cancer diagnoses increased dramatically from 2019 to 2022 in adults between the ages of 45 and 49, and colonoscopy screening also spiked, according to new studies published in August.

A new study led by the American Cancer Society (ACS) and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) discovered this change following a “stable 15-year trend,” according to an August 4 ACS press release.

The study analyzed colorectal cancer diagnoses from 2004 to 2022 among adults between the ages of 20 and 54 years in the 21 geographic areas of the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program. Cases were organized by age, cancer location, and diagnosis stage. Its incidence rates were adjusted for delays in case reporting and age-standardized to the 2000 U.S. standard population, according to the press release.

Rising diagnoses among the 45-49 year cohort between 2019 and 2022 included a 50% relative growth in diagnoses between 2021 and 2022, from 11.7 to 17.5 cases per 100,000. This age range’s regular 1.1% annual increase in diagnoses skyrocketed to 12% per year between 2019 and 2022, largely due to the detection of local-stage tumors. The study found that local-stage tumors for colon cancer increased annually by 18.8% and lby 25.1% for rectal cancer, according to the press release.

The ACS’s study also found that colorectal cancer incidence increased consistently by 1.6% annually since 2004 among adults between 2o and 39-years-old, and by 2-2.6% per year since 2012 among the age cohorts of 40-44 and 50-54. Rates of localized disease for those 20 to 39-years-old remained stable, and rates among those in the age ranges of 40-44 and 50-54 had a slower increase of 2.5-3.1% annually beginning in 2016 to 2017, and were confined to rectal tumors. Advanced-stage colorectal cancer continued growing by 1.7-2.9% per year since 2004 among adults under 45-years-old and even faster in the past decade for those between ages 45 and 54, the press release stated. (Read more from “Cancer Diagnoses Skyrocketed In Recent Years And Officials Are Just Figuring Out Why Now” HERE)

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This Common Ailment Is Linked to Esophageal Cancer, Doctor Warns

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Esophageal cancer is relatively rare, making up only 1% of all cancer diagnoses in the US.

However, it is also one of the most deadly cancers — with a five-year survival rate of only 20%.

Gastroenterologist Dr. Wendi LeBrett recently posted a TikTok video warning everyone of a common ailment that could be unknowingly putting you at risk.

“Acid reflux is the most common cause of esophageal cancer, but one in three people who have acid reflux will have no idea they even have this condition,” she says in the clip.

She goes on to explain that 60% to 70% of people who have acid reflux will have “classic symptoms of heartburn” — that gurgling feeling in your chest that often occurs after a big meal. . .

But, chillingly, LeBrett says 30% to 40% of people have acid reflux without experiencing heartburn — and around half of them will either be asymptomatic or have atypical symptoms. (Read more from “This Common Ailment Is Linked to Esophageal Cancer, Doctor Warns” HERE)

Colon Cancer Patients Are 24 Times More Likely to Die Within 5 Years if They Had This Habit Before Their Diagnosis

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Here’s the bottom line — nearly 53,000 Americans are projected to die from colorectal cancer this year.

The overall five-year survival rate for the disease is around 65%. Several factors significantly influence prognosis, including the stage of the cancer at diagnosis, its location within the colon and the effectiveness of treatment.

A new study suggests that a popular habit may negatively affect colon cancer outcomes, significantly increasing the risk of death within five years of diagnosis.

“This study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that heavy cannabis use may have underrecognized impacts on the immune system, mental health and treatment behaviors,” said lead study author Raphael Cuomo, an associate professor at the UC San Diego School of Medicine.

An estimated 17.7 million Americans reported using marijuana daily or nearly every day in 2022, a rise that correlates with the decriminalization and legalization of pot and increased societal acceptance.

About 30% of cannabis users meet the criteria for addiction. (Read more from “Colon Cancer Patients Are 24 Times More Likely to Die Within 5 Years if They Had This Habit Before Their Diagnosis” HERE)

How Much Chicken You’d Have to Eat a Week to Increase Your Risk of Dying by 27% — It’s a Lot Less Than You Think

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. . .Chicken has long been lauded as a healthy alternative to red and processed meats, which have been linked to diabetes, heart disease, and several cancers.

But a new study has found a clucking scary link between chicken consumption, overall mortality, and gastrointestinal cancer — and you don’t have to eat that much to experience negative effects.

In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO)’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) declared that red meat — such as beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton, horse, and goat — is “probably carcinogenic to humans,” while poultry was left off the table as a risk factor.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans defines chicken as a “noble food” because it is high in protein and lower in fat than other animal meats. The DGA suggests a standard poultry portion of 100 g and recommends eating it one to three times per week.

However, Italian researchers recently found that people who eat more than 300 grams of chicken per week, or just under four servings, are 27% more likely to die from any cause than those who eat less than 100 grams (a little over one serving). (Read more from “How Much Chicken You’d Have to Eat a Week to Increase Your Risk of Dying by 27% — It’s a Lot Less Than You Think” HERE)

Doctor: For the First Time in My Career, I’ve Seen an 8, 9 and 10-Year Olds With Colon Cancer

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. . .Children—actually very young children—are now being diagnosed with these extremely aggressive, fast-moving cancers at a rate that’s impossible to ignore. But instead of asking hard questions, the same crowd of “experts” that once shouted down anyone who dared question the COVID vaccine has gone radio silent.

The timing really speaks for itself, right? These alarming cases have been ramping up since the rollout of the vaccine. But the people who once told everyone this shot was a miracle are now nowhere to be found as the world faces a medical crisis that feels more like a cover-up than a coincidence.

And now, a top doctor by the name of Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong is finally saying what others won’t…

But this latest alarm bell from Dr. Soon-Shiong still centers around the cancer surge—only now, the focus has shifted to children, which makes it all the more terrifying. For the first time in his long and respected career, he says he’s seeing kids—young kids—being diagnosed with some of the most aggressive, deadly cancers on the planet.

What is happening? It seems so obvious, doesn’t it…and as Dr. Soon-Shiong says, we have to “face reality.”

(Read more from “Doctor: For the First Time in My Career, I’ve Seen an 8, 9 and 10-Year Olds With Colon Cancer” HERE)

Popular Over-The-Counter Drug Can Slow the Spread of Breast, Bowel and Prostate Cancers

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Breast cancer rates are on the rise for women under 40 in the US, with recent research showing they have increased by more than 0.5% per year in 21 states.

Additionally, prostate cancer rates have increased by 2% to 3% annually, and colon cancer rates have risen by 1% to 2% per year among individuals younger than 55, data shows.

Now, a new study has identified one popular drug as a potential agent in slowing the progression of certain cancers — including those of the breast, bowel and prostate — and the best part is that it’s available over the counter.

Aspirin can help the immune system fight cancer spread by blocking a chemical (TXA2), made by blood platelets, that would otherwise weaken the body’s T cells, which are important for attacking cancer cells, the study found.

Previous research has indicated that aspirin has the potential to slow the progression of some cancers.

A 2021 analysis that reviewed 13 studies with over 140,000 breast cancer patients found that aspirin use was linked to a 31% reduction in breast cancer-specific mortality and a 9% decrease in recurrence or metastasis risk. (Read more from “Popular Over-The-Counter Drug Can Slow the Spread of Breast, Bowel and Prostate Cancers” HERE)

Dems Refused to Pass Kids Cancer Research Bill Until They Could Use It to Push 1,500 Pages of Pork

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In March the Republican-led House passed H.R. 3391, which would continue funding research of pediatric diseases like childhood cancer. The legislation never went anywhere in the Senate under the leadership of Democrat Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. But now Democrats are trying to use sick kids with cancer as leverage to pass 1,500-plus pages of pork.

On Wednesday Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled a 1,500-page so-called “continuing resolution” that was really nothing more than a stuffed omnibus bill that included money for censorship, sweetheart deals for Congress, and other unnecessary expenditures. Almost immediately the pork-stuffed “continuing resolution” was rebuked by millions of Americans, including President-elect Donald Trump and incoming co-director of the Department of Government Efficient (DOGE) Elon Musk.

Following public pressure, the House released a trimmed-down version (116 pages) on Thursday. That measure funds the government through March 14. The new version keeps the $110 billion in disaster relief and farmer assistance from the original bill and suspends the debt ceiling for two years. The new version also removed the funding for childhood cancer.

And suddenly — after H.R. 3391 has collected dust in the Senate under the leadership of Schumer for months –Democrats are outraged about funding for pediatric cancer research.

The Bulwark’s Sam Stein wrote that after “pediatric cancer research advocates spent years” working to get funding, “Elon began tweeting.” Elon “killed the budget deal,” according to Stein, and with it funding for childhood cancer research. (Read more from “Dems Refused to Pass Kids Cancer Research Bill Until They Could Use It to Push 1,500 Pages of Pork” HERE)

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Russia Announces It Has Developed a Revolutionary Cancer Vaccine, Guarantees Free Access for All

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By MSN. The announcement was made by Dr. Andrey Kaprin, General Director of the Radiology Medical Research Center under Russia’s Ministry of Health, and was reported by the TASS news agency. This innovation has sparked global interest and raised significant hope within the medical and scientific communities.

According to Professor Alexander Gintsburg, Director of the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, the vaccine employs an innovative approach targeting tumors directly. Preclinical trials have shown that the vaccine effectively suppresses tumor growth and inhibits the formation of metastases, addressing one of the most challenging aspects of cancer treatment.

The vaccine leverages mRNA sequences to activate the patient’s immune system. Specifically, it identifies antigens unique to cancer cells and trains the immune system to recognize and destroy them. This cutting-edge method has been made possible through advanced tools like artificial neural networks, developed in collaboration with the Ivannikov Institute in Russia.

Using these algorithms, researchers can tailor the vaccine to individual patients by calculating the precise mRNA modifications needed, drastically reducing production time. “Now it takes quite long to build [personalized vaccines]… But thanks to AI, these procedures can be reduced to about half an hour to an hour,” said Alexander Gintsburg. (Read more from “Russia Announces It Has Developed a Revolutionary Cancer Vaccine, Guarantees Free Access for All” HERE)

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Russia Claims It Developed First Cancer Vaccine in Big Breakthrough, Says ‘Will Distribute for Free’

By India TV. The deadly disease, cancer is almost incurable to date and people are terrified of it. But will Russia’s grand claim put an end to cancer? Russia has claimed that it has invented a cancer vaccine that will prevent all types of cancer tumours. According to Russia’s announcement, it has been proved in pre-clinical trials that this vaccine is successful in suppressing cancer tumours. This vaccine makes the body’s immune system so strong that as soon as any cell starts moving towards becoming a cancer cell, the body’s immunity destroys it.

Some time ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a statement on television that we are close to the creation of cancer vaccines and new-generation immunomodulatory drugs. Now the question arises that there is a race to make a cancer vaccine in American and European countries and every day there is some development in it. The third trial of the cancer vaccine of Moderna and Merck company has also been done, but it will take time till 2030 for this vaccine to come. In such a situation, everyone is surprised by this announcement of Russia. Now it is important to know what the doctors of India have to say on this.

When we spoke to Dr Mohammed Taher Mithi, Consultant Surgical Oncologist, Saifee Hospital, Mumbai, he said “The news release by the Russian media mentions the trials as pre-clinical, which means it hasn’t been tested on the population at large. But it is exciting nonetheless and further data and testing would indicate its overall effect on treatment.”

He added, “It works eventually by activating our immune system to eliminate the cancer cells as it would against any foreign antigen. Again it is a vaccine but it is not used to prevent cancers, but rather to treat patients already suffering from cancer.” . . .

According to the News18 report, Dr Shyam Agarwal, Chairman of the Cancer Department at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said that if Russia’s claim is linked to reality, then it can prove to be a milestone in the history of cancer, but we still have to see many things about this Russian vaccine. He said that Russia has claimed that it has prepared a vaccine for many types of cancer based on messenger RNA. M-RNA are tumour cells that have abnormal proteins on their surface. This is called tumour antigen or tumour-associated antigen -TAA. Every type of cancer cell has a different TAA. Also, understand that the antigen that is formed is made from m-RNA. It is a type of protein. Russian scientists say that they have discovered many antigens for different types of cancer. (Read more from “Russia Claims It Developed First Cancer Vaccine in Big Breakthrough, Says ‘Will Distribute for Free’” HERE)

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Russia To Launch Free Cancer Vaccine in 2025

By Newsweek. . .Newsweek has emailed the Russian Ministry of Health, the Russian National Medical Research Radiological Center and the Gamaleya National Research Center to confirm the announcement and clarify how the vaccine works.

It is currently not clear which cancers the vaccine is supposed to treat, how effective it is or even what the vaccine is called.

It is scientifically feasible that some sort of vaccine may have been developed to target cancer. Other countries are currently working to develop something similar.

For example, in 2023 the U.K. government signed a contract with a German biotechnology company to develop personalized cancer treatments, and pharmaceutical companies Moderna and Merck & Co are currently working on a skin cancer vaccine.

There are even vaccines already on the market that aim to prevent cancer, such as vaccines against human papillomaviruses (HPV), which help prevent cervical cancer. (Read more from “Russia To Launch Free Cancer Vaccine in 2025” HERE)