Cancer viruses are known to alter cell composition, increasing the risk of developing tumors. DNA and RNA viruses can cause cancer, but not in every person. HPV, herpes, Epstein-Barr virus, and hepatitis B are examples of DNA viruses that can cause cancer. Hepatitis C and human T lymphotrophic virus type 1 are RNA viruses that can cause cancer. Vaccines have been created to prevent some viruses, but early diagnosis and treatment are still crucial for increasing survival rates.
The many different types of cancer that can affect the human body have a multitude of known and unknown causes. A known phenomenon that can increase the risk of developing some types of cancer is the presence of a virus in the body that alters the way cells grow and divide. Cancer viruses are types of viral infections known to alter the composition of cells, so they are more likely to behave erratically, resulting in the formation of tumors. There are two distinct types of cancer viruses, known as DNA viruses and RNA viruses.
Most viruses that affect humans aren’t capable of causing cancer, and those that can won’t in every person. Since cancer is the result of a combination of many factors, both genetic and environmental, viruses alone cannot be pinpointed as the primary cause of any disease. For a virus to cause tumor growth, it must enter a cell and alter its genetic material. This alters the way the cell operates, making it immune to anti-growth signals from the brain and the cellular aging process that prevents excessive division. How a virus affects a cell depends on whether it is a DNA or RNA virus.
DNA viruses put their genetic information directly into the nucleus of the body’s cells. Such viruses include human papillomavirus (HPV), herpes, Epstein-Barr virus, and hepatitis B. HPV, a sexually transmitted infection, is known to be a potential cause of neck cancer of the uterus in women and is also associated with other cancers of the genital areas and throat. Herpes is related to the development of a form of sarcoma known as Kaposi’s, in which there is an abnormal growth of tissue under the skin.
More commonly known as mono, Epstein-Barr virus is a very common infection related to herpes. It is transmitted through close human contact, such as kissing, and infects B cells in the body. While a high percentage of adults contract this virus at some time and experience very few side effects, a small number can develop cancers known as Burkitt’s lymphoma or nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Hepatitis B is one of the cancer viruses that affects a specific organ. It can cause liver cancer in patients who have repeated liver infections from the virus.
For RNA cancer viruses to infect their hosts, they must first change their RNA into DNA, then insert their genetic material into the cell. Hepatitis C is a type of RNA virus that acts very similarly to hepatitis B, causing liver cancer. Another type, human T lymphotrophic virus type 1 (HTLV-1), attacks the lymphatic system and is associated with T-cell leukemia.
As of 2012, cancer virus research is still in its infancy, and treatments are still being developed to target viral infections before they can cause cancer. Some vaccines have been created to try to prevent viruses, such as HPV and hepatitis B, but no vaccine can provide complete protection. Early diagnosis and treatment are still the keys to increasing survival rates of all types of cancer.
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