Viruses and Cancer

Abstract

Introduction There can be no doubt that viruses are a cause of cancer in certain animals.^1-31 While the total process of oncogenesis may be a complex of many known factors such as chronic inflammation, hormonal influences, radiant energy, chemicals, x-irradiation, and the proper genetic constitution,^32-34 the known virus-induced malignancies are the sole naturally occurring neoplasms of known and specific cause.⁶ Facts relating viruses to tumor formation have accumulated rapidly during the last 25 years, largely through improved tissue culture techniques,^14,35,36 electron microscopy,^31,37-41 immunofluorescent microscopy, and ferritin antibody procedures in electron microscopy.⁴² Improved immunologic methods, the great advances in genetics and protein chemistry, and the demonstration of infectious nucleic acids^43-51 are all responsible for provoking intense interest in the potential relationship between viruses and cancer in man. The purpose of this review is to trace the development of viral oncology which has led to