Studies have shown that prolonged use of antibiotics in early to middle age might increase your risk for abnormal or precancerous growths in your colon. Bacterial changes in the gut wrought by antibiotics may up the odds for colon cancer.
The study published in Gut details that antibiotics, which affect the makeup of intestinal bacteria, might set stage for polyp development, which usually precedes bowel cancer. The research analyzed data from 16,642 women ages 60 or older participating in the Nurses’ Health Study. Women who took antibiotics for two weeks or more in their 20s through their 50s were more likely to have colon lesions in their 60s than women who didn’t take the drugs for an extended period, researchers found.
Lead researcher Dr. Andrew Chan, stated,
This suggests that alterations in the naturally occurring bacteria that live in one’s intestines caused by antibiotics might predispose individuals to colorectal cancer.
However, although the findings showed the risk for colon cancer was raised, it wasn’t to a level where it gets worrisome to individuals who need to take antibiotics for clear medical reasons.
Antibiotics disrupt the diversity and number of bacteria in the gut, or “microbiome.” They also reduce resistance to toxic bacteria. All of this might play a role in the development of precancerous growths. Additionally, bacteria that require antibiotics may cause inflammation, which is a known risk for colon cancer.
In the study conducted suggests the use of antibiotics within the previous four years was not associated with a heightened risk of polyps, but long-term use in the past was. For example, two months of antibiotic use in her 20s or 30s upped a woman’s odds for polyps, 36 per cent compared to those who didn’t the drugs for a prolonged period. The risk rose further when extended medication use occurred in one’s 40s or 50s. The study also found that shorter-term use wasn’t without risk, either. Taking antibiotics for more than 15 days between ages 20 and 59 also increased the chances of finding polyps.
Though the study was limited to women, the link likely also holds true for men.
Researchers of the study explain that there is scope for more research to be done to understand the interaction between alterations in one’s gut bacteria and future risk of colorectal cancer.
Chan and his team acknowledged the study had limitations. For one, there was no information on the types of antibiotics used. Also, it’s possible that some growths existed before antibiotics were taken, the researchers said. Further research to determine the cause and to examine nuances will be important in determining the full extent of these findings as well as their veracity.
