Podcast: Is Breast Cancer Linked to Certain Bacteria?

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Can the bacterium that causes periodontal disease make breast cancer develop?

Published on May 12, 2026

Dr. Dipali Sharma and her team published two papers that found links between bacteria, including F. nucleatum, the bacterium that causes periodontal disease, and the development of breast cancer.

Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Sharma explain:

• her work to figure out how bacteria travel from the gut or mouth to the breast
• the changes the bacteria cause in breast cells
• why breast cells with BRCA1 mutations were more likely to have higher levels of bacteria in them
• how research to inhibit a specific enzyme may one day lead to a new breast cancer treatment

Listen now or read the transcript.