Viruses, Bacteria And Parasites Also Cause Cancer

New York, NY (AHN) - Cancer is caused not just by anomalous cells but also by infections from viruses, bacteria and parasites.

"I believe that, conservatively, 15 to 20 percent of all cancer is caused by infections, however, the number could be larger, maybe double," says Dr. Andrew J. Dannenberg, director of the Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

"Unfortunately, the public, as well as many health-care workers, are unaware of the significance of chronic infection as a potentially preventable cause of cancer," he added.

Dannenberg highlighted the link between chronic infection, inflammation and cancer during the American Association for Cancer Research Sixth Annual International Conference Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research

He said liver cancer is caused by chronic hepatitis B and C. A form of gastric cancer called adenocarcinoma and a form of lymphoma called MALT lymphoma have been linked to Helicobacter pylori bacteria.

Bladder cancer is caused by chronic infection with Schistosome parasites, he said.

The American Association for Cancer Research is the world's oldest and largest professional organization with nearly 26,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers; health-care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 70 other countries.