Open AccessThe role of viruses in the cancerogenesis
Author(s) -
Michał Chojnicki,
Mariola Pawlaczyk,
Celina Helak-Łapaj,
Jakub Żurawski,
Krzysztof Wiktorowicz
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of medical science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2353-9801
pISSN - 2353-9798
DOI - 10.20883/medical.e60
Subject(s) - merkel cell polyomavirus , virology , oncovirus , virus , oncolytic virus , hepatitis b virus , tumor virus , biology , cancer , hepatitis b , hepatitis c virus , carcinogenesis , merkel cell carcinoma , carcinoma , genetics
It is estimated that seven key viruses such as Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), Human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV), Human papilloma viruses (HPV), Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpes-virus (KSHV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV), are responsible for about 11% of cancers all over the world. Viruses however are not only associated with cancerogenesis process. Scientific researches from recent years emphasize the possible use of the microorganisms as antitumor therapy. Oncoviruses, also defined as tumor viruses cause cancers whereas oncolytic viruses infect the host’s cancer cells leading to destruction of tumor and due to that they are described as cancer killing viruses. It offers the potential application of viral infections to the cancer therapy.