Gum Disease Linked To Rise In Cancer Risk

Gum disease is associated with a significant increased cancer risk, even in non-smokers, scientists have found.

Study of more than 48,000 men in the US found that the overall cancer risk was 21% higher for those with a history of gum disease who had never smoked.

The reason for the link is unclear.

Gum disease may in some way directly influence cancer risk, or may simply signify a weak immune system, scientists believe.

Dr Dominique Michaud, from Imperial College London, led the research, which is published today in The Lancet Oncology journal.

From a pool of 48,375 men, a total of 5,720 cases of cancer were recorded, excluding non-malignant skin cancer and non-aggressive prostate cancer.

The most common cancers were bowel, melanoma (malignant skin cancer), lung, bladder and advanced prostate.

For individual cancers, men with a history of gum disease had a higher risk of lung cancer (36%), kidney cancer (49%), pancreatic cancer (54%) and white blood cell cancers (30%)when compared with those with no record of gum problems.

Having fewer tee that the start of the study was associated with a 70% increased risk of lung cancer.

The authors wrote: "Gum disease was associated with a small, but significant, increase in overall cancer risk, which persisted in never-smokers. The associations recorded for lung cancer are probably because of residual confounding by smoking. The increased risks noted for hematological (blood), kidney and pancreatic cancers need confirmation, but suggest that gum disease might be a marker of a susceptible immune system or might directly affect cancer risk."

Gum disease is also known to be strongly linked to artery damage and heart disease. Experts believe the bacteria which cause gum disease may trigger inflammation in arteries, which promotes the build up of hard deposits of fat, cholesterol and calcium.

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