News – ATLANTA and TAMPA, Fla. – A new study suggests a link between toxoplasma gondii infection (T. gondii) and glioma risk, a type of brain cancer, in adults. The report, which appears in the International Journal of Cancer, finds that people with glioma are more likely to be given antibodies to T. gondii (indicating a previous infection ) a similar cancer-free group.
For the study, researchers led by Anna Coghill, Ph.D., of the Moffitt Cancer Center and James Hodge, JD, MPH, of the American Cancer Society, examined the association between T. gondii antibodies measured several years before the cancer was diagnosed and the risk of developing glioma. Study participants were from the Cancer Society of America-II (CPS-II) Cancer Study Nutrition Joint Group and Janus Serum Bank at the Norwegian Cancer Registry (Janus). T. gondii is a common parasite found mainly from uncooked meat and can lead to the formation of cysts in the brain. These findings suggest that reduced exposure to this food-borne pathogen may be a variable risk factor for highly invasive brain tumors in adults.
Although glioma is a relatively rare disease, it is a very deadly cancer. Globally in 2018, there were approximately 300,000 incident cases and 241,000 deaths due to cancers of the brain and other nervous system. The majority (80%) of malignant brain tumors are gliomas, and the average five-year survival rate is 5% net.
The study notes that T. gondii antibodies and glioma were similarly associated in two different groups of people: the CPS-II cases were approximately 70 years at the time of blood transfusion, while those in the Janus cohort were about 40 years old. .
“This does not mean that T. gondii definitely causes glioma in all cases. Some people with glioma do not have T. gondii antibodies, and vice versa, ”notes Hodge.
“The findings show that people with increased visibility of the T. gondii parasite are more likely to go on to develop glioma,” said Coghill. “However, it should be noted that the overall risk of experiencing glioma remains low, and these findings need to be replicated in a larger and more diverse group of people. ”
The authors note, “if future studies repeat these conclusions, continued efforts to reduce knowledge of this common pathogen would provide a substantial first chance. to prevent this invasive brain tumor. “
Article: Hodge JM, Coghill AE, Kim Y, Bender N, Smith-Warner S, Gapstur S, Terrace LR, Grimsrud TK, Waterboer T, Egan KM. Toxoplasma Gondii disease and adult glioma risk in two possible studies, 2021. International Journal of Cancer 2021; doi: 10.1002 / ijc.33443.
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