UCF Researcher Tests Probiotic Against Esophageal Cancer

Claudia Andl, an associate professor at UCF College of Medicine, received a $380,000 grant from the Florida Department of Health to study whether Lactobacillus bacteria can prevent esophageal cancer in patients with chronic acid reflux.

Andl is investigating how the probiotic, found in yogurt and kombucha, repairs cellular damage caused by stomach acid. When acid dominates the esophagus, healthy bacteria die and harmful bacteria multiply, increasing inflammation and cancer risk. Lactobacillus restores beneficial bacteria while suppressing inflammation and repairing DNA damage.

Esophageal cancer has a five-year survival rate of about 22 percent. Patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease face elevated risk because repeated acid exposure damages the esophageal lining and can lead to Barrett's esophagus, a precancerous condition.

Andl's early results in disease models show the probiotic reduces Barrett's esophagus and delays cancer development compared to untreated models. Both conditions now affect people under 60 to 70 years old, younger than the typical patient age range.

Andl joined UCF in 2016 after earning her doctorate in cell biology from the University Duisburg-Essen in Germany and completing postdoctoral research at the University of Pennsylvania. She specializes in throat and oral cancer research.