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Viruses and human cancers: challenges for preventive strategies
1Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland and Institut Pasteur, Unit of Epidemiology of Oncogenic Viruses, Paris, France. dethe@pasteur.fr
Environmental Health Perspectives
|November 1, 1995
Summary
Preventing virus-associated cancers, like those caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV), is crucial. Strategies include vaccination, early detection of pre-cancerous lesions, and genetic counseling for cancer risk reduction.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Virology
- Preventive Medicine
Background:
- Virus-associated human cancers, including carcinomas and lymphomas, pose a significant global health threat, particularly in developing nations.
- Key oncogenic viruses implicated are human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus (HTLV).
- These viruses are major contributors to cancer development, necessitating targeted preventive strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline and evaluate preventive strategies for virus-associated human cancers.
- To address the challenges and opportunities in reducing the incidence of these malignancies, especially in resource-limited settings.
- To highlight the importance of a multi-faceted approach combining vaccination, early detection, and predictive oncology.
Main Methods:
- Review of current and potential preventive interventions for virus-associated cancers.
- Analysis of the feasibility of vaccination programs (e.g., for HBV, EBV) considering cost and implementation challenges in developing countries.
- Exploration of early detection methods using immunovirological approaches and the role of genetic susceptibility in predictive oncology.
Main Results:
- Vaccination is a viable strategy for HBV and potentially EBV, but faces barriers in developing countries due to cost and delayed tumor development.
- Early detection of pre-cancerous lesions or tumors through immunovirological means offers a pathway for improved treatment outcomes.
- Predictive oncology, involving genetic counseling and lifestyle modification for individuals with susceptibility genes, presents a third preventive avenue.
Conclusions:
- A combination of vaccination, early detection, and predictive oncology is essential for decreasing the incidence of virus-associated cancers.
- International collaborative studies and interdisciplinary research integrating laboratory and social sciences are recommended.
- Emphasis on preventive and health enhancement strategies alongside curative therapies is crucial for global cancer control.