JAMA Oncol

Oral microbiome profile may predict pancreatic cancer risk

October 8, 2025

Oral bacterial and fungal microbiota may serve as accessible, noninvasive biomarkers for identifying individuals at high risk for pancreatic cancer. These findings support the potential for oral microbiome-based risk stratification and highlight the importance of oral health interventions in pancreatic cancer prevention.

Study details: This prospective cohort study analyzed oral samples from participants in the ACS Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort and the PLCO Cancer Screening Trial. Among 122,000 individuals, 445 who developed pancreatic cancer were matched 1:1 with cancer-free controls based on demographic and sample timing criteria. Oral bacterial and fungal communities were profiled using whole-genome shotgun and ITS sequencing. Microbial risk scores (MRS) for pancreatic cancer were calculated from the risk-associated bacterial and fungal species.

Results: Three periodontal pathogens—Porphyromonas gingivalis, Eubacterium nodatum, and Parvimonas micra—were significantly associated with increased pancreatic cancer risk. In total, 13 oral bacteria and 4 fungi (notably genus Candida) conferred higher risk, while 8 bacteria were protective. The MRS showed a >3-fold increase in pancreatic cancer risk per 1-SD increment (odds ratio, 3.44; 95% confidence interval, 2.63-4.51), independent of BMI, diabetes, smoking, and alcohol use.

Source:

Meng Y, et al. (2025, September 18). JAMA Oncol. Oral Bacterial and Fungal Microbiome and Subsequent Risk for Pancreatic Cancer. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40965868/