Cancer ResearchHow a Common Oral Bacterium Quietly Drives Cancer Growth
Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) is an oral bacterium increasingly recognized as a key player in cancer development. This review from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center examines how different Fn strains vary genetically and functionally, and how their unique tools — including adhesion proteins, metabolites, and secreted proteins — allow them to invade host cells, dodge immune detection, and make tumors resistant to chemotherapy. The authors argue Fn has moved from being seen as a passive bystander in tumors to an active driver of disease. Importantly, the review highlights Fn's potential as both a diagnostic biomarker and a therapeutic target, suggesting that monitoring or targeting this bacterium could open new avenues in cancer detection and treatment.
