Are Frogs the New Cure for Cancer? (photo)

Researchers discovered that tumors are rare in frogs and reptiles and hypothesized that the cause may lie not only in their bodies but also in their gut bacteria. They isolated 45 bacterial strains and discovered one with potent antitumor activity – Ewingella americana, found in the intestines of the Japanese tree frog.

In experiments on mice, this bacterium secreted substances capable of destroying cancer cells with minimal impact on healthy tissue. It also activated the immune system: T cells, B cells, and neutrophils appeared in large tumor areas, facilitating active cancer control.

In mice with colorectal cancer, a single intravenous injection caused complete tumor disappearance, with no return. The method proved relatively safe: the bacteria disappeared from the blood within 24 hours, and inflammation subsided within three days. Over a two-month period, no organ damage was observed in the animals studied, and the bacteria remained genetically intact.

Human clinical trials are planned. If effective, this approach could prove useful not only for colorectal cancer but also for other tumor types, such as pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, lung tumors, and head and neck cancer.