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Infectious agents and lymphoma development: molecular and clinical aspects

A J M Ferreri1, I Ernberg, C Copie-Bergman

  • 1Unit of Lymphoid Malignancies, Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Oncology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy. andres.ferreri@hsr.it

Journal of Internal Medicine
|March 21, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Infectious agents like bacteria and viruses are linked to specific lymphomas. This review examines Helicobacter pylori, Chlamydophila psittaci, Borrelia burgdorferi, and Epstein-Barr virus in lymphoma development.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Infectious agents are increasingly recognized for their role in various cancers.
  • Specific microbial infections have been associated with certain types of lymphomas, particularly marginal zone B-cell lymphomas.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of infectious agents in the development of specific lymphoma entities.
  • To discuss the molecular, biological, clinical, and therapeutic implications of these associations.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies investigating infectious agents and lymphomas.
  • Analysis of associations between specific bacteria (Helicobacter pylori, Chlamydophila psittaci, Borrelia burgdorferi) and MALT lymphomas.
  • Examination of Epstein-Barr virus's role in lymphoproliferative disorders.

Main Results:

  • Strong associations exist between bacterial infections and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas, including H. pylori with gastric MALT lymphoma, C. psittaci with ocular adnexal MALT lymphomas, and B. burgdorferi with cutaneous MALT lymphomas.
  • Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a significant lymphotropic virus with demonstrated tumorigenic activity, linked to various lymphoproliferative disorders.

Conclusions:

  • Infectious agents play a critical role in the pathogenesis of several lymphoma types.
  • Understanding these associations is crucial for developing targeted therapies and future research directions in lymphoma treatment.

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