The salivary microbiota is altered in cervical dysplasia patients and influenced by conization

This study supports the correlation between the salivary microbiota and cervical dysplasia and suggests that smoking influences the salivary microbiota.

Preliminary Identification of the Aerobic Cervicovaginal Microbiota in Mexican Women With Cervical Cancer as the First Step Towards Metagenomic Studies

Cervical cancer (CC) is considered a public health problem. Recent studies have evaluated the possible relationship between the cervicovaginal microbiome and gynecologic cancer but have not studied the relationship between aerobic bacterial communities and neoplasia. The study aimed to identify the cultivable aerobic bacterial microbiota in women with cervical cancer as a preliminary approach to the metagenomic study of the cervicovaginal microbiome associated with cervical cancer in Mexican women. An observational cross-sectional study was conducted, including 120 women aged 21-71 years, divided into two study groups, women with locally advanced CC (n=60) and women without CC (n=60). Sociodemographic, gynecological-obstetric, sexual, and habit data were collected. Cervicovaginal samples were collected by swabbing, from which standard microbiological methods obtained culturable bacteria. The strains were genetically characterized by PCR-RFLP of the 16S rRNA gene and subsequently identified by sequencing the same gene. Variables regularly reported as risk factors for the disease were found in women with CC. Differences were found in the prevalence and number of species isolated in each study group. Bacteria commonly reported in women with aerobic vaginitis were identified. There were 12 species in women with CC, mainly Corynebacterium spp. and Staphylococcus spp.; we found 13 bacterial species in the group without cancer, mainly Enterococcus spp. and Escherichia spp. The advanced stages presented a more significant number of isolates and species. This study provided a preliminary test for cervicovaginal metagenomic analysis, demonstrating the presence of aerobic cervicovaginal dysbiosis in women with CC and the need for more in-depth studies.

Oropharynx microbiota transitions in hypopharyngeal carcinoma treatment of induced chemotherapy followed by surgery

AIMS

To analyze changes in oropharynx microbiota composition after receiving induced chemotherapy followed by surgery for hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPSCC) patients.

METHODS

Clinical data and swab samples of 38 HPSCC patients (HPSCC group) and 30 patients with benign disease (control group, CG) were enrolled in the study. HPSCC group was stratified into two groups: induced chemotherapy group (IC) of 10 patients and non-induced chemotherapy group (nIC) of 28 patients. The microbiota from oropharyngeal membrane was analyzed through 16S rRNA sequencing.

RESULTS

Alpha-diversity (Shannon and Ace indexes) and weighted UniFrac based beta-diversity severely decreased in the HPSCC group when compared with CG. In pre-operative comparisons, PCoA and NMDS analyses showed microbial structures in the IC group were more similar to CG than nIC. Both IC group and nIC group yielded significantly diverse post-operative communities in contrast to their pre-operative counterparts, evident by the decrease in genera Veillonella and Fusobacterium and increase in genera Streptococcus and Gemella. Given that post-operative oropharynx microbiota showed no difference between IC and nIC groups, the IC group showed less accumulation in anaerobic communities. The abundance of genera Fusobacterium, Parvimonas, Actinomyces were enhanced in the advanced stages (III/IV).

CONCLUSIONS

Oropharynx microbiota in the HPSCC group presents dysbiosis with low diversity and abundance. Induced chemotherapy is beneficial in adjusting the oropharynx microbial environment leading to fewer amounts of anaerobe accumulation after operation. Higher amounts of Fusobacterium in advanced stages (III/IV) may influence the progression of HPSCC.