World Cancer Day: Unite for the one and only
We have known for years that cancer is not a single disease, but rather a collection of related diseases involving biochemical and genetic errors within cells, and that it can occur anywhere in the body.
Very simply, there are two driving forces that contribute to the development of a malignant tumour; DNA damage and inflammatory processes.
• DNA damage can result from inherited mutations in genes such as BRCA1 and BCRA2 (associated with breast and ovarian cancer) or suppressor mutations in protective genes such as TP53. In addition to inherited mutations, ‘de novo’ mutations can occur without a previous history, or can even be localised to a particular type of cell, due to exposure to carcinogens such as tobacco, asbestos or pesticides. In this case, genomic analysis can provide a lot of information in terms of prevention, diagnosis and prognosis, especially if there is a family history.
• Inflammatory processes: a prolonged state of inflammation can increase the likelihood of cancer developing, either by acting as a ‘trigger’ in the presence of a previous mutation or even in the absence of one. Inflammation is the body’s defence mechanism against stress factors. This is where we can work on prevention by taking measures to maintain a low level of inflammation (not smoking, avoiding a sedentary lifestyle, Mediterranean diet, omega-3, etc.) There are other biological factors that maintain a state of chronic inflammation, such as the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which increases the risk of gastric cancer or other microbial dysbioses.
Omics technologies are essential to characterise and understand the different tumour environments, not only to find therapeutic targets, but also to understand their development and work on their prevention.
An example of this is the association of microbiota signatures with colorectal cancer, where we found bacteria such as Fusobacterium nucleatum, typical of the oral cavity and present in periodontal processes, demonstrating the importance of the oral microbiota in systemic health.
At Microomics Systems, S.L. we work on the transcriptomic and metagenomic characterisation of tumour biopsy samples at level, solving the problems that most of these types of samples present, such as low microbial load or RNA degradation. Following this line, we have characterised samples of cerebrospinal fluid, intestinal biopsies, amniotic fluid or brain tissue, as well as other more common matrices in these cases, such as faeces or saliva.
In short, the study of the microbial communities present in the oncological process in a localised or delocalised manner may lead to new ways of approaching this disease.
Write to us and tell us about your project. Together we can add up.