N E W S B L O G S: One in six cancers are caused by infections, study finds

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One in six cancers are caused by infections, study finds

Many could be prevented or treated

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BY LINDSAY GOLDWERT / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Wednesday, May 9, 2012, 6:40 PM

Medical technician analyzes CT scan of a cancer patient's neck and torso to help develop a treatment plan.

DAVID JOEL/GETTY IMAGES

Medical technician analyzes a CT scan of a cancer patient's neck and torso to help develop a treatment plan. A new study suggests that one in six cancers is related to infections which may be preventable or treatable.

One in six cancers are attributed to infections that are preventable or treatable, according to new research.

In 2008, out of 12.7 million new cancer cases, 2 million were attributable to infections, the study published in the most recent issue of The Lancet Oncology found.

Researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer in France spotlighted cases of cancer caused by Human papillomaviruses (HPV), Helicobacter pylori and hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

Cervical cancer — linked to HPV — accounted for half the infection-related cancer figures in women, while liver and stomach cancers accounted for 80% of male cases.

Dr. Brahm H. Segal, chief of infectious disease at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, said that access to the HPV vaccine is one way to cut down on infections and cancer.

He also pointed to an effective vaccine for hepatitis B, linked to liver cancer, that’s readily available.

“Both are on the shelf and proven to be safe and effective,” he said.

Wiping out cancers caused by the hepatitis C virus is more complicated since there’s no vaccine.

Clean needle exchange and condom use can go a long way in preventing infection, but behavioral change is tough to implement.

The researchers suggest Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), which is linked to stomach cancers, can be spotted with blood tests and antibiotics.

“But as a method of preventing stomach cancer, it’s not quite ready for prime time,” Segal said.

People who live in developing countries are more likely to die from a cancer caused by an infection or virus - 23% compared to 7% in developed countries.