This Chewing Gum Could Help Fight Cancer-And It’s Headed to Trials Soon
AOL.com • • health
Key Points:
- Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a chewing gum containing proteins from lablab beans that significantly reduces cancer-associated oral microbes linked to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).
- The gum reduced HPV levels by up to 93% in saliva and nearly eliminated harmful bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum when bioengineered with the antimicrobial peptide protegrin, without affecting beneficial oral bacteria.
- Chewing gum delivery targets the site of infection directly, offering a localized treatment complementary to existing therapies, as oral medicines often dilute in the bloodstream and lose effectiveness.
- Experts caution that the duration of microbial reduction from the gum may be limited to about an hour, and emphasize that HPV vaccination remains the primary preventive measure against HPV-related head and neck cancers.
- Clinical trials for the antiviral chewing gum are underway in London, with plans to initiate similar studies for HNSCC patients in the United States soon.
