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The study has found the weakened immune system allows skin bacterial infections frequent recurrence that may be helping to grow cancer cells in skin lymphoma patients.
A lymphoma patient’s fragile skin — caused by their weakened immune system– is more prone to bacterial infections. As the illness, the immune system becomes weaker and the progress of the bacterial infections has shown to increase. These bacterial infections trigger a reaction from healthy cells. The healthy cells will then produce a substance and it is this substance that aids in the growth of cancerous cells.
“We have gained important insight into the processes that activate cancer cells and make them grow. Patients’ frequent bacterial infections might not be a mere side effect of the disease — on the contrary, toxins in the bacteria actually ‘benefit’ cancer cells. Our next step is examining whether combating infections can slow down the growth of cancer cells and thus stop the disease,” says Professor Niels Ødum from the University of Copenhagen, who, in collaboration with PhD student Andreas Willerslev-Olsen.
In the study, researchers have found that the bacterial toxins enable cancerous cells to disrupt and alter the immune defense mechanism, which prevents the body’s natural ability to fight cancer cells. The infection of the immune defense mechanism has shown to worsen the illness. The immune system attempts to contain and execute the cancer cells.
In the most major form of skin lymphoma a specific type of an immune cell, CD4-T lymphocytes, turns cancerous and starts attacking the rest of the immune system, which includes the skin’s immune defense mechanism.
Scientists believe that only particular types of bacteria cause the release of the toxins therefore some patients may benefit from treatment such as antibiotics.
Scientist at the University of Copenhagen and Skejby Hospital has plans to continue working on the relationship between skin bacteria affects the immune defense mechanism and the cancer.
For more information on skin health and immune system protection please visit Fenvir’s website.
Release ID: 103203