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Progress in characterizing the linkage between Fusobacterium nucleatum and gastrointestinal cancer

Journal of Gastroenterology volume 54, pages 33–41 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Microbiome research is a rapidly advancing field in human cancers. Fusobacterium nucleatum is an oral bacterium, indigenous to the human oral cavity, that plays a role in periodontal disease. Recent studies have found that F. nucleatum can promote gastrointestinal tumor progression and affect the prognosis of the disease. In addition, F. nucleatum may contribute to the chemo-resistance of gastrointestinal cancers. This review summarizes recent progress in the pathogenesis of F. nucleatum and its impact on gastrointestinal cancer.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Grant numbers 17H04273, 17K19702 and 17KK0195 (to Y.B.).

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  1. Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan

    Yang Liu, Yoshifumi Baba, Takatsugu Ishimoto, Masaaki Iwatsuki, Yukiharu Hiyoshi, Yuji Miyamoto, Naoya Yoshida & Hideo Baba

  2. Second Oncology Department, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110022, China

    Yang Liu & Rong Wu

  3. International Research Center for Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan

    Takatsugu Ishimoto

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  1. Yang Liu
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  2. Yoshifumi Baba
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Correspondence to Hideo Baba.

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Liu, Y., Baba, Y., Ishimoto, T. et al. Progress in characterizing the linkage between Fusobacterium nucleatum and gastrointestinal cancer. J Gastroenterol 54, 33–41 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-018-1512-9

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Keywords

  • Fusobacterium nucleatum
  • Microbiome
  • Gastrointestinal cancer
  • Colon cancer
  • Esophageal cancer