Our bodies contain entire ecosystems of microbes that aid our various functions, particularly digestion. Without the help of healthy bacteria, we can't break down many of the nutrients we need. While most of the microbes that live inside us are bacteria, we also have some fungi that are almost always harmless. Recent studies show that cancers also carry their own microbiome, which includes both bacteria and fungi.
Two studies were published this week in the journal Cell that deal with the fungus that lives in cancers. They live inside the cancer cells, often along with bacteria, and they sometimes work together. Different types of fungus live in different types of cancer, which may have something to do with how lethal a particular type of cancer is. So far, the fungus studies show a correlation, which does not mean causation. Read more about the fungi that live in our cancer cells at Gizmodo.
(Image credit: Richard.Reezigt)
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