Hemophilus influenzae Infection's Association With Decreased Risk of Breast Cancer

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Oncology
• Immunology

Background:

• Hemophilus influenzae (H. influenzae) is a common bacterial pathogen linked to microbiome stabilization.
• The microbiome may influence breast cancer (BC) development via systemic inflammation and NLRP3 inflammasome activation.
• Investigating the H. influenzae-BC relationship is crucial for understanding cancer etiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the correlation between prior H. influenzae infection and breast cancer incidence.
• To determine if H. influenzae infection impacts BC risk.
• To explore potential mechanisms involving the microbiome and inflammation in BC.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study utilizing a large national database (2010-2019).
• International Classification of Disease codes identified patients with and without H. influenzae history.
• Patients were matched by age, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and antibiotic exposure.

Main Results:

• A total of 13,599 patients were matched; BC incidence was 1.905% in the H. influenzae group vs. 5.044% in the control group (P < 2.2 × 10^-16).
• Odds ratio (OR) for BC was 0.604 (95% CI: 0.553-0.660), indicating a reduced risk with H. influenzae history.
• After matching for antibiotic exposure (3,189 patients), BC incidence was 3.073% vs. 5.362% (P < 2.2 × 10^-16; OR = 0.584).

Conclusions:

• H. influenzae infection is significantly correlated with a reduced incidence of breast cancer.
• These findings suggest a potential protective role for H. influenzae in BC development.
• Further research should investigate H. influenzae's role in NLRP3 inflammasome modulation for BC prevention and treatment.