Doctors at the UK National Health Service have found that bad breath is most likely a sign of a mutation in the SELENBP1 gene associated with an increased risk of cancer, reports Pronews.gr.
Bad breath, which accompanies the development of certain diseases, is called halitosis. In all likelihood, this symptom indicates problems of the oral cavity or the whole body. In particular, bad breath could be the first manifestation of throat cancer.
In addition to halitosis, warning signs of this disease include a lump in the throat, hoarseness, frequent coughing, difficulty breathing, weight loss, and chronic fatigue.
A more accurate cancer marker was discovered during an experiment. Researchers have found increased levels of methanethiol and dimethyl sulfide—the sulfur compounds that cause bad breath—in exhaled air among patients with halitosis.
These compounds were found to be associated with a mutation in the SELENBP1 gene, which suppresses sulfur breakdown and tumor growth. And the disruption of the function of this gene can increase the risk of cancer.
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