Cancer-Fighting Chewing Gum Reduces HPV Levels by Up to 93%
Researchers have developed a bioengineered chewing gum that dramatically reduced levels of microbes linked to head and neck cancer in patient oral samples. The findings may lead to more accessible and affordable preventive and therapeutic options.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Dental Medicine, led by Henry Daniell, have developed a bioengineered chewing gum that significantly reduces microbes linked to head and neck cancer. In tests using oral samples from patients, gum extracts sharply reduced human papillomavirus (HPV) and two types of bacteria associated with the disease.
The findings, published in Scientific Reports, could support the development of more accessible and affordable treatments. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common cancer that begins in the tissues lining the mouth and throat. The disease can be aggressive, and outcomes are often poor when diagnosed at a later stage. Daniell notes that many recently approved cancer medications have not produced major improvements in patients' quality of life or five-year survival, highlighting the need for new approaches that can complement existing therapies.
The study builds on earlier research involving chewing gum made from lablab beans. The gum contains FRIL, a naturally occurring antiviral protein. The team used oral samples from HNSCC patients to study three cancer-related microbes: HPV, Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), and Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn). Daniell explains that the global increase in oropharyngeal cancer is linked to HPV infection, while Pg and Fn infections worsen survival rates for untreated recurrent or metastatic oral cancer, even after surgery and adjuvant therapies.
Tests showed that gum extracts reduced HPV levels by 93% in saliva samples and by 80% in oral rinse samples. The researchers then engineered the gum to contain protegrin, an antimicrobial peptide that kills harmful bacteria. A single dose brought Pg and Fn levels to almost zero. Importantly, the treatment did not appear to harm beneficial bacteria in the mouth, unlike radiation therapy, which can reduce helpful bacteria while encouraging the growth of disease-causing yeast (Candida albicans).
The gum's ability to target dangerous microbes while preserving the healthy oral microbiome could make it useful as an additional therapy alongside current cancer treatments or as a preventive measure against infection and transmission. Daniell points out that lip and oral cavity cancer was the seventh leading cancer type in incidence and mortality worldwide in 2022 among adolescents, young adults, and middle-aged adults. The findings support advancing these therapies to clinical trials as adjuvants with current treatments or as prophylaxis to prevent infection and transmission.
