Scientists from Stanford University have found that breast cancer patients who take antibiotics have a higher risk of cancer recurrence or death. Research published in the journal Nature Communication.
Researchers analyzed data from 772 patients diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer. They found that antibiotic treatment was associated with a reduction in lymphocyte count. Also, lymphocyte count correlated with response to treatment and overall survival in patients.
Overall, each additional dose of antibiotics increased the risk of death by 5-18%. Researchers believe this effect is due to the effect of antibiotics on gut bacteria, which also weakens chemotherapy. Gut bacteria not only help us digest food but also affect many aspects of health, including how the immune system responds to emerging threats such as infection or cancer.
“It is important to interpret these results with care. We cannot leave life-threatening infections untreated. But this study shows that we need to consider how best to treat them without increasing the risk of cancer recurrence,” the scientists explain.