{"id":1320,"date":"2022-12-01T13:43:45","date_gmt":"2022-12-01T20:43:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/knightlab.ucsd.edu\/wordpress\/?p=1320"},"modified":"2025-08-04T15:13:38","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T22:13:38","slug":"researchers-in-us-and-israel-detect-fungal-dna-in-most-cancer-types-found-in-the-human-body","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/knightlab.ucsd.edu\/?p=1320","title":{"rendered":"Researchers in US and Israel Detect Fungal DNA in Most Cancer Types Found in the Human Body"},"content":{"rendered":"

Studies could lead to new prognostic biomarkers and clinical laboratory diagnostics for cancer<\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n

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Might fungi be involved in human cancers? Two separately published studies have found fungal DNA<\/a> in various cancers in the human body. However, the researchers are unclear on how the fungi<\/a> got into the cancer cells and if it is affecting the cancers\u2019 pathology. Nevertheless, these discoveries could lead to utilizing tumor-associated fungal DNA as clinical laboratory diagnostics or prognostic biomarkers in the fight against cancer.<\/p>\n

The first study, performed by a team of international researchers from the University of California San Diego<\/a> (UCSD) and the Weizmann Institute of Science<\/a> in Israel, detected the presence of fungal DNA or cells in some cancer types.<\/p>\n

They published their findings in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Cell<\/em>, titled, \u201cPan-cancer Analyses Reveal Cancer-type Specific Fungal Ecologies and Bacteriome Interactions<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Microbiome Key to Cancer Biology and Detection<\/strong><\/p>\n

To perform their research, the team examined 17,401 samples of patient tissues, blood, and plasma across 35 different types of cancers in four independent cohorts. They discovered fungal DNA and cells in low abundances in many human cancers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe existence of fungi in most human cancers is both a surprise and to be expected,\u201d said biologist Rob Knight, PhD<\/a>, founding Director of the Center for Microbiome Innovation<\/a> and Professor of Pediatrics and Computer Science and Engineering at UC San Diego in a UCSD press release<\/a>. \u201cIt is surprising because we don\u2019t know how fungi could get into tumors throughout the body. But it is also expected because it fits the pattern of healthy microbiomes throughout the body, including the gut, mouth and skin, where bacteria and fungi interact as part of a complex community.\u201d<\/p>\n

The main highlights of this study include:<\/p>\n