Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a bioengineered chewing gum that may help target microbes associated with head and neck cancer, according to ScienceDaily.
In tests using oral samples from patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, extracts from the gum reduced HPV levels by 93% in saliva samples and by 80% in oral rinse samples. The study also looked at two bacteria tied to the disease, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum.
The team then engineered the bean-based gum to include protegrin, an antimicrobial peptide. According to the researchers, a single dose reduced both bacteria to nearly undetectable levels.
Henry Daniell, the study’s lead researcher, said the work could support new treatments that are more accessible and affordable. The researchers also reported that the gum did not appear to harm beneficial bacteria in the mouth, and they say it may eventually be studied as an added therapy or a preventive tool.
