Lack of association of Streptococcus bovis with noncolonic gastrointestinal carcinoma

Since previous studies have shown an increased fecal carriage rate of Streptococcus bovis in patients with carcinoma of the colon, a study was undertaken to determine the fecal carriage rate of this organism in patients with gastrointestinal carcinoma of noncolonic origin. Organisms identified as S. bovis were isolated on fecal culture from 10 of 82 (12%) controls, 19 of 94 (20%) individuals with noncolonic gastrointestinal carcinoma, and 12 of 80 (15%) patients with other gastrointestinal disorders. Subjects with noncolonic gastrointestinal carcinoma did not have a fecal carriage rate of S. bovis significantly different from that in controls. A literature review of 251 patients with S. bovis septicemia identified at least 89 (35%) with neoplasms of the colon. Only nine patients (4%) with gastrointestinal neoplasms of other than colonic origin were noted. At present, the indication for an intensive evaluation of the upper gastrointestinal tract in individuals with S. bovis bacteremia is substantially less than that for the colon.