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A Salmonella infection is a common bacterial disease that affects the intestinal tract

Do people who are more frequently exposed to non-typhoidal Salmonella have an increased risk of colon cancer? Researchers from Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) and the University of Illinois jointly conducted a study to find an answer to this question. Initial study results suggest that non-typhoidal Salmonella may increase the risk of colon cancer by contributing to one stage in the multistep process of cancer formation.

The researchers’ findings were published in Cell Reports Medicine.

A Salmonella infection is a common bacterial disease that affects the intestinal tract. Humans are commonly exposed to non-typhoid Salmonella, primarily through livestock and through the consumption of livestock-derived foods, such as eggs and meat.

Typhoid Salmonella, which causes typhus, infects 10-20 million people each year and causes an estimated 130,000 deaths worldwide. Non-typhoid Salmonella infections are more common and less fatal, but lead to an estimated 153 million cases of diarrhea and vomiting and 57,000 deaths worldwide each year.

Salmonella and the development of cancer
Typhoid Salmonella infection has previously been linked to gallbladder cancer. This is because the bacteria allow for one step in the multi-step process of cancer formation. Epidemiological studies have also associated severe non-typhoidal Salmonella infections with an increased risk of developing colon cancer.

“A non-typhoid Salmonella infection is often unnoticed by ourselves, but this infection is recognized by our immune system! Our study examined whether these mild, undetected non-typhoid Salmonella infections increase the risk of colon cancer. The idea behind this is that with repeated mild bacterial infections, there is a greater chance that a bacterium will invade and manipulate cells that have already made several steps into cancer development due to a previous infection, said Virginie Stévenin. , postdoctoral researcher at the grandchildren’s workshop.

Search results
To find out if there is an increased risk of colon cancer following exposure to non-typhoid Salmonella, researchers measured the levels of antibodies to non-typhoid Salmonella in more than 100 human blood samples to determine the rate of infections not detected. The researchers found that people who had developed colorectal cancer were also more often exposed to mild Salmonella infections. Salmonella could also be detected in intestinal tumors of mice after infection.

“We also found that more mild infections increased the growth rate of these intestinal cancers. Additionally, in a cell culture model, Salmonella was found to infect cells more rapidly with the potential to become fully transformed cancer cells, promoting further cancer formation”. said LUMC, Professor Jacques (Sjaak) Neefjes.

In short, a risk factor
Jun Sun, a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago concludes: ‘These experiments suggest that non-typhoidal Salmonella infections may increase colon cancer risk by affecting one step in the multistep process of cancer formation. Avoiding such completely infection is difficult, as no Salmonella typhoid is common in livestock and our food, but exposure to the bacteria can be reduced by good hygiene practices when handling and preparing food.”

read it original article in Cell Reports Medicine.

The whole field of oncology is getting a huge boost

December 20 is an important day for Dutch cancer research. KWF is investing over €43.7 million in a large number of new projects across the country. From laboratory research to the implementation of new healthcare innovations, from childhood cancers to metastatic cancers of unknown origin and from diagnostics to palliative care: the entire field of oncology is receiving a huge boost. The new studies will start in 2023.

KWF Scientific Director Carla van Gils is looking forward to the results of the new studies: “This year we will do something new compared to previous years: targeted funding for topics where we want to accelerate. Like palliative care. And smart measurement techniques to better monitor the disease. We expect funding under these themes to help us further reduce the impact of cancer. We can do this thanks to our donors. And that fills me with pride.”

In this video, KWF Director General Johan van der Gronden surprises three Erasmus MC researchers with the news that their research is eligible for funding. Below you will find more information on these three studies and a selection of the many other award-winning projects.

Detection of cancer of unknown origin
Sometimes cancer comes to light through the discovery of a metastasis, but the source is not found. And therefore not to start a targeted treatment quickly. Patients with an “unknown primary tumour” (PTO) therefore have a poor prognosis. At the Erasmus MC, Dr Sophie Veldhuijzen van Zanten wants to detect the primary tumor using a radioactive tracer and a PET scan. Her goal is to offer patients better treatment options.

Pain relief with mushroom ingredient
Chemotherapy can damage nerve pathways and lead to severe, long-lasting pain (neuropathy). At the UMC in Amsterdam, Prof. Markus Hollmann will investigate whether psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, can help relieve ailments.

childhood cancer
Seven new projects will start in the Princess Máxima Pediatric Oncology Center. Such as the search for a new surgical technique with holograms for the optimal removal of kidney tumors. And a follow-up study on the treatment of brain tumors, financed with the proceeds of Alpe d’HuZes. Researchers want to use ultrasound to open the blood-brain barrier in order to deliver drugs to the tumor more effectively. This will hopefully make the treatment more effective.

KWF & Hartstichting join forces against heart failure after cancer treatment
With medication, non-Hodgkin lymphoma (a form of cancer of the lymph nodes) can often be controlled for years. But at a high price: some of the patients develop heart failure due to chemotherapy with the risk of death. Researchers from UMC Utrecht will investigate whether heart damage can be prevented with the drug dexrazoxane. The researchers also hope they can predict which patients are most at risk of heart failure. KWF and Heart Foundation together raise more than €2.3 million for a large patient study.

Palliative care
KWF stimulates research in the field of palliative care to provide cancer patients with good care, even in their last stage of life. Within this theme, 3 projects will receive funding totaling approximately 2 million euros. This includes research on a symptom app for children with advanced cancer, research on cognitive behavioral therapy for fatigue, and research on better symptom management in patients with bone metastases.

Better diagnosis of lung cancer with navigational bronchoscopy
If lung cancer is suspected, lung tissue should be sampled. This is currently done through a puncture through the chest wall, with the risk of bleeding or a collapsed lung. Research at Radboud University Medical Center shows that the new “navigational bronchoscopy” technique is safer and more reliable. This involves carefully navigating to suspicious spots through the mouth and airways. With the implementation funding from KWF, they want to make this new technology available throughout the Netherlands.

Smart measurement
With targeted funding for research into ‘smart measurement technologies’, new patient-friendly ways to better control the disease (and any recurrence) become available. At the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, Dr Saskia Wilting is developing a blood test that will indicate whether colon cancer comes back after treatment. At the same institute, surgeon Dr. Dirk Grünhagen is working on a way to reduce the number of hospital checkups after bowel cancer. The idea is to responsibly shift follow-up checks to the home situation, to relieve both the patient and the hospital. Patients can draw blood at home and stay in touch with their doctors via an online platform.

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Follow-up research is urgently needed to determine the impact of iGAS in the Netherlands and Europe

Severe group A streptococcal infections (iGAS) have been observed more than usual in children in the last year. Although these serious infections are still very rare, the number of children arriving at hospital with them has increased significantly since the beginning of 2022, according to research by Juliana Children’s Hospital, in collaboration with other hospitals. In several cases, the children died in hospital from the infection. Follow-up research is urgently needed to determine the impact of iGAS in the Netherlands and Europe.

Group A strep can occur as a harmless bacteria in the throat and on the skin and sometimes cause a throat infection or scarlet fever. In rare cases, a serious infection such as blood poisoning, pneumonia, severe infection under the skin, or bone infection develops.

Increase after lifting of COVID measures
The 7 Dutch hospitals that participated in the study saw significantly more children with severe group A streptococcal infection in the months after the COVID measures were lifted than in previous years. In the second quarter of this year, 28 children were hospitalized with a serious infection. In the second quarter of 2019 there were 9, in 2018 only 2. Serious infections occurred mainly in children under 5 years of age.

More dead
Of the 61 children who ended up in one of these 7 hospitals with a group A strep infection after the lifting of COVID measures, 5 children did not survive the disease. This is also a remarkably high number. In the 2 years before the start of the COVID pandemic, this infection only resulted in a death 1 time. Follow-up research should reveal why there are now so many more serious group A strep infections among young children.

Europe
In other European countries, including the UK, there also appears to be an increase in severe group A streptococcal infection among children. The WHO also reports an increase in several European countries.

A child with a fever usually has a harmless infection. However, it is good to be vigilant. On the site Thuisarts.nl – my child has a fever is declared when parents should contact the doctor immediately.

The following hospitals participated in the study: Juliana Children’s Hospital (Haga Hospital), Haaglanden Medical Center, St Antonius Hospital, Maasstad Hospital, Sophia Children’s Hospital Erasmus MC, Amalia Children’s Hospital Radboud UMC, Maastricht UMC+, Amsterdam UMC