Single Dose of Frog-Derived Gut Bacterium Eradicates 100% of Tumors in Mice
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Frog-derived bacterium Ewingella americana eliminated 100% of colorectal tumors in mice after a single dose.
A peer-reviewed study in Gut Microbes found that a single intravenous dose of Ewingella americana, a naturally occurring bacterium isolated from amphibian and reptile gut microbiomes, eradicated 100% of tumors in an immunocompetent mouse model of colorectal cancer. The bacterium outperformed chemotherapy (doxorubicin) and immune checkpoint blockade (anti-PD-L1). It selectively accumulates in hypoxic tumor microenvironments, proliferates, and activates T cells, B cells, and neutrophils. No recurrence occurred upon re-exposure to cancer cells, indicating durable immune memory. No significant toxicity was observed.
The authors note these results are preclinical and require human trials.
What commenters are saying
Many commenters expressed strong skepticism about the source blog, citing its other sensationalist and anti-vaccine content. Several pointed to the same study on PubMed and noted that curing cancer in mouse models is common and rarely translates to humans. One commenter highlighted a case report of sepsis caused by this same bacterium in an immunocompromised patient, noting the study assumed immunocompetent mice.
Some found the discovery conceptually interesting but tempered expectations, noting the low single-digit percent success rate of mouse-model therapies in human trials. Others joked about the long history of failed mouse cures and referenced xkcd 1217.