Oncogenic viruses are important agents in the etiology of cancer and other diseases. The etiologic agent of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) is human T- lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-I). The HTLV-I attributable risk for ATL was particularly elevated for younger cases, highlighting the importance of early age at infection. Infective dermatitis of children is an HTLV-I associated syndrome. American Indian populations in North, Central, and South America are a natural reservoir for HTLV-II infection. Large cell granulocytic leukemia may be an HTLV-II associated malignancy. Studies of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) have documented a long latency between infection and disease with a growing spectrum of associated malignancies. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is an emerging and important outcome of HIV-1 induced immunodeficiency accounting for approximately 10% of current NHL in the U.S. The risk of NHL in a large cohort of HIV- infected hemophiliacs was increased 200-fold but there was no excess of non-AIDS cancers. In the AIDS cancer match registry, among 14,000 cancer cases the majority were Kaposi's sarcoma and NHL, but other candidate malignancies are being evaluated. Hepatitis C virus is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma and may interact with HIV-1 to accelerate hepatic dysfunction in hemophiliacs. Herpes- viruses are cofactors in several malignancies, including those which are HIV-1 associated. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was identified in the Reed-Sternberg cells of tumors obtained from patients with Hodgkin's disease. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a disease reportedly linked to cancer, was shown to be a heterogeneous group of illnesses, rendering its association with cancer questionable.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Intramural Research (Z01)
Project #
1Z01CP005400-10
Application #
3774815
Study Section
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
10
Fiscal Year
1993
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
State
Country
United States
Zip Code