March 21, 2023 – Researchers discover a latest link between colon cancer and the infectious bacteria often known as Clostridioides difficileor C. diff.
C. diff is a bacteria that infects your colon and causes difficult GI symptoms akin to frequent Diarrhea. C. diff is a widespread infection amongst patients treated in hospital, estimated at almost half a million casess per yr. It is incredibly contagious.
C. diff is thought to guide to dangerous problems akin to sepsis if left untreated. Research has found that there’s a higher amount of C. diff in cancerous lesions than in healthy body tissue. But a recent study from Johns Hopkins and Vanderbilt University has explored the connection between C. diff and colon cancer. This study found that C. diff Bacteria can transform normal cells into cancer cells.
The researchers found that many patients with colon cancer have “biofilms” – large amounts of bacteria – on the surface of their colon. When they investigated the style of bacteria that form the biofilms that result in a rise in colon tumors, the researchers found that C. diff was in a position to produce these tumors in a “cascade.”
“By and large, we are working to find out the exact mechanism for this,” says Julia L. Drewes, PhDAssistant professor of drugs at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD, and co-author of the study.
What are the symptoms of C. diff?
The following Symptoms may mean that you just C. diff:
- Watery diarrhea, one to fifteen times every day
- Stomach cramps
- Nausea
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- A swollen belly
In severe cases C. diff may cause:
- Blood or pus within the stool
- Weight loss
- Fast heartbeat
- Low white blood cell count
- Dehydration
- Kidney failure
C. diff can even cause enlargement of the colon and sepsis can occur if the infection damages body tissues.
Who is in danger for C. diff?
Anyone can get C. diffbut some individuals are more susceptible.
“People who are over 65 years old, have a weakened immune system, live in nursing homes or work in the health care sector are most at risk for C. diff“, says Lilian Chen, MDColon and rectal surgeon at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, MA, and assistant professor of surgery at Tufts University School of Medicine. “People with C. diff can also become reinfected; 1 in 6 patients suffers from recurrent infections.”
Another risk factor: taking antibiotics. “There are normally trillions of microbes in and on our bodies, including both good and bad bacteria,” says Caroline Um, PhD, MPH, senior scientist in epidemiological research on the American Cancer Society. “Normally, good bacteria help us fight bad bacteria like C. diff. However, you may have a greater chance of C. diff Infection after taking antibiotics, as these normally destroy both good and bad bacteria in our intestines.”
C. diff Is transmitted through stool, often when someone doesn't wash their hands after using the toilet. If you touch that person's skin or a surface that person has touched, your body can become “colonized” with the bacteria.
“If someone is colonized with C. diffyou can find it everywhere in your environment – in fact, C. diff is all around us,” says Aasma Shaukat, MD, MPHGastroenterologist at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City and director of GI outcomes research at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
However, you may not show any symptoms.
“For a healthy person, this type of stress does not play a role, because C. diff will not make them sick,” Shaukat continues. “If someone has a weakened immune system, C. diff becomes a problem.”
How could C. diff Lead to colon cancer?
C. diff can initiate the strategy of cancer development – through Inflammation.
“There are two types of toxins in C. Difference: Toxin A and Toxin B,” says Drewes. “We still need to do more work to determine the exact mechanism, but Toxin B or TcdB, which is present in most C. diff Infections, appears to cause inflammation in the body. This inflammation contributes to cell damage in the colon, which may then be linked to a mutation that can cause cancer.”
This does not mean that every patient who C. diff will be diagnosed with colon cancer.
“Cancer is just bad luck – it starts with a cell,” says Drewes. But the outcomes could help researchers understand why so many people under 50 is diagnosed with colon cancer today.
How can I protect myself from infection? C. diff?
“C. diff can be difficult to eradicate,” says Shaukat. “Hand sanitizers do not kill C. diff. Washing hands with soap and water does, however. Cleaning surfaces with diluted bleach can be fatal C. diff spores, and in the hospital UV light is used to kill the spores as well.”
You can have your doctor test a stool sample to determine if you C. diff. If this is the case, treatment will consist of a 10-day course of medication. If you are taking antibiotics, your doctor may switch you to a new antibiotic that C. diffHow fidaxomicin, metronidazole or vancomycin.
If I have had C. diff, Do Do I need to be tested for colon cancer?
“We need a better understanding of the potential role of C. diff in colon cancer before we can determine whether this is the current Guidelines for colorectal cancer screening”, says Um. “However, it’s idea to talk over with your doctor about colon cancer screening, no matter whether you C. diff. Various factors such as smoking, poor diet, obesity or a family history of colon cancer can influence a person's individual risk.”
The bottom line is that it will be important to do every thing you may to scale back your risk of colon cancer.
“Even though more research is required and we want to grasp the connection between C. diff and colon cancer, it is best to ask your doctor about your specific risk for those who C. diff,“, says Drewes.
The more information you might have, the higher decisions you may make about your health.