Resumen
Recently, there has been increased recognition of an association between the bacterial microbiome and cancer. In this study, we characterized the non-HPV head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) microbiome. We found a significant enrichment of Fusobacterium, depletion of Streptococcus, and the microbial signatures of twelve bacterial genera distinguishing HNSCC. With increased Fusobacterium?in particular, F. nucleatum?in our HNSCC cohort and its known association with prognosis in colorectal cancers (CRC), we sought to further characterize the association between clinical outcomes and F. nucleatum, and the host interaction with F. nucleatum. We identified a higher abundance of F. nucleatum in non-smokers and an improved survival, in contrast to CRC. An integrative analysis also identified that the enrichment of F. nucleatum was associated with host gene promoter methylation, suggesting that the bacterial mircobiome status may have a potential role as a prognostic biomarker and be involved in the pathogenesis of HNSCC.