Links demystified: Periodontitis and cancer

Cancer is marked by the uncontrolled growth of cells, tissue invasion and metastasis to various organs via the circulatory and lymphatic systems. Recent data have expanded the concept that inflammation is a critical component of tumor progression. Many cancers arise from sites of infection, chronic irritation, and inflammation. The tumor microenvironment, which is largely orchestrated by inflammatory cells, is an indispensable participant in the neoplastic process, fostering proliferation, survival, and migration. Periodontal disease, a chronic inflammatory condition is characterized by an oral bacterial infection leading to inflammation within the supporting tissues of the teeth, which often leads to the destruction of the periodontal tissues and alveolar bone that support the teeth. This oral inflammation often has systemic effects leading to an increased concentration of circulating inflammatory markers with the severity of disease being correlated directly with levels of serum inflammatory markers. Periodontal infection has been linked to organ and systemic diseases. There is documented evidence of significant associations between cancer of the lung, kidney, pancreas, hematological and oral cancers, and periodontal disease. This articles reviews and summarizes the possible biological mechanisms involved between periodontal infection and cancer.