The latter (molecular mechanisms of cancer) may be unsurprising as the gene panel was based on cancer related pathways, but it is worth noting that this was not enriched in BSCCs with HK F. nucleatum. Increased IL-8 gene expression has been observed in patients with high Fusobacterium abundance16, and increased IL-8 protein levels were measured in BSCCs with viable F. nucleatum in this study. This evidence concerns the gene CXCL8 and cancer.