Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a specially engineered chewing gum that could provide a new way of targeting viruses and bacteria associated with certain head and neck cancers.
In laboratory experiments, the gum was found to reduce levels of human papillomavirus (HPV) in oral samples by as much as 93 per cent, while also significantly reducing two bacteria linked to poorer outcomes in some oral cancer patients.
The research was led by Henry Daniell of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and published in Scientific Reports.
The experimental gum is designed to deliver biological agents directly inside the mouth, potentially targeting harmful microbes while preserving beneficial bacteria that contribute to oral health.
How the Cancer-Fighting Gum Works
The researchers built on earlier work involving chewing gum produced from lablab beans. The gum contains FRIL, a naturally occurring antiviral protein that was tested against HPV.
HPV is responsible for many cases of oropharyngeal cancer, a form of head and neck cancer affecting areas of the throat and mouth.
In tests involving saliva samples, the researchers recorded a 93 per cent reduction in HPV levels. Oral-rinse samples showed an 80 per cent reduction after exposure to the gum extract.
Scientists also examined two bacteria associated with head and neck cancer — Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum.
To improve the gum’s antibacterial effect, the researchers added protegrin, an antimicrobial peptide. A single dose brought levels of both bacteria down to almost undetectable levels in laboratory testing.
Potential Role In Cancer Prevention
Researchers believe the approach could eventually complement existing cancer treatments or potentially be developed as a preventive measure for people at increased risk of infection-related cancers.
The scientists noted that the rise in HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancers, together with links between certain oral bacteria and cancer outcomes, underscores the need for new approaches to managing these microbes.
However, the findings do not mean the chewing gum can currently prevent or treat cancer.
The experiments were performed using oral samples rather than clinical trials involving patients receiving the gum as a cancer treatment. Further studies, including human clinical trials, will be required to determine its safety, effectiveness and possible medical applications.
If proven effective in future trials, researchers say the technology could offer a relatively simple method of delivering targeted antimicrobial and antiviral agents inside the mouth.
For now, the findings represent an early-stage research development rather than an established cancer treatment.
