Viruses can cause various cancers, most notably Human Papillomavirus (HPV) linked to cervical, anal, and head/neck cancers; Hepatitis B (HBV) & C (HCV) causing liver cancer; Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) associated with lymphomas and nasopharyngeal cancer; Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8) causing Kaposi sarcoma and lymphomas; and Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1) linked to Adult T-cell leukemia. These viruses often hijack host cells, leading to abnormal cell growth and malignancy, with vaccines available for HPV and HBV.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV), an RNA virus, is the most common cause of hepatocellular carcinoma. Like the Hepatitis B virus, HCV has a multifactorial role in the development of liver cancer.
Epstein-Barr virus, human papilloma virus, hepatitis B virus, and human herpes virus-8 are the four DNA viruses that are capable of causing the development of human cancers. Human T lymphotrophic virus type 1 and hepatitis C viruses are the two RNA viruses that contribute to human cancers.
About 90% of cancers are caused by environmental and lifestyle factors, not genetics, including smoking, poor diet (red meat, fried foods), alcohol, sun exposure, pollutants, infections, obesity, and inactivity; only 5–10% are due to inherited genetic defects, with most cancers arising from lifestyle-induced genetic mutations. Tobacco alone accounts for about a third of cancer deaths, while diet, obesity, and inactivity contribute significantly, with controllable factors being key to prevention.
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a type of herpes virus that causes mononucleosis. Infection with EBV increases a person's risk of nasopharyngeal cancer, certain types of fast-growing lymphomas, and possibly some cases of Hodgkin lymphoma and stomach cancer.
Over 90% of cancers are observed to have some type of genetic alteration. Some of these alterations are inherited, while others are sporadic, which means they occur by chance or occur from environmental exposures (usually over many years).
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
EBV infection increases the risk of Burkitt lymphoma, some types of Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and stomach cancer.
Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers thanks to the HPV vaccine. HPV, or the human papillomavirus, causes 99% of all cervical cancers. The HPV vaccine, which is given in 2 doses, targets 9 different types of the virus.
Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of cancer worldwide. Cigarettes are the predominant form and have been determined to cause at least 20 different types or subtypes of cancer. Other forms of tobacco use are of growing importance worldwide, but they have been less studied than cigarettes.
Lycopene was found to inhibit human cancer cell proliferation, and to suppress insulin-like growth factor-I-stimulated growth.
Oncolytic Virus Therapy Treatment Options
T-VEC (Imlygic®): a modified herpes simplex virus (HSV) that infects tumor cells and promotes their destruction; approved for subsets of patients with melanoma.
H. pylori is the first bacterium to be termed a definite cause of cancer in humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Mutagenic bacterial metabolites are also suspected to increase risk for cancer. This model is best exemplified in colon cancer.
A virus must enter a living cell and take over the cell's machinery in order to reproduce and make more viruses. Some viruses do this by inserting their own DNA (or RNA) into that of the host cell. When the DNA or RNA affects the host cell's genes, it can push the cell toward becoming cancer.
Common viral illnesses include colds, the flu, COVID-19, norovirus (“stomach flu”), HPV (warts) and herpes simplex virus (cold sores).
Certain viral or bacterial infections can increase your risk of developing lymphoma. These include HIV, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), Kaposi sarcoma human immunodeficiency virus, and Helicobacter pylori, which attacks the stomach lining.
White people had the highest rate of new cancers at 437 per 100,000 people, followed by Black people at 427 per 100,000 people, while cancer incidence rates were lower among Hispanic, Asian and Pacific Islander, and AIAN people.
Vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene contain antioxidants once thought to help prevent cancer. However, more recent studies show that high levels of these, in supplement form, may increase cases of gastrointestinal cancers, such as stomach, colon, and esophageal, in some people.
If you're looking for the answer to “Why do I always think I have cancer?”, the truth is that there are a number of possible explanations. One cause for cancer-related worries is illness anxiety disorder (IAD), which is defined as a persistent fear of having a serious medical illness despite few or no symptoms.
General risk factors
A meta-analysis published in 2015 showed a modestly elevated risk for not only prostate cancer but also breast and ovarian cancers for those with the highest intake of eggs, more than 5 per week, as compared to those with no egg consumption at all (39).
Early Cancer Warning Signs: 5 Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore
The helminth diseases schistosomiasis, opisthorchiasis, and clonorchiasis are highly carcinogenic while the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, the causing agent of Chagas disease, has a dual role in the development of cancer, including both carcinogenic and anticancer properties.
Here are the 10 most common causes of cancer, in no particular order.
The notion that viruses have a role in the etiology of malignancy originated from the studies published in 1911 by Peyton Rous, who reported a filterable agent (Rous sarcoma virus [RSV]) in cell extracts of a chicken tumor that could transmit the tumor into healthy chickens (2).
There is now convincing scientific evidence that eating processed meat increases bowel cancer risk. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) recommends that people avoid eating processed meat. Processed meats include any meat that has been preserved by curing, salting or smoking, or by adding chemical preservatives.