AACR Virtual Annual Meeting II: How Infections, Vaccinations, and Organ Transplants Can Affect Cancer Risk
Persistent infections with pathogens—such as the human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV/HCV), H. pylori, and others—represent a major risk factor for cancer incidence worldwide. Indeed, an analysis published in Lancet Oncology estimated that 2.2 million cancer cases in 2018 were attributable to infections, representing 13 percent of all global cancer cases (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers). While vaccines exist for many of these pathogens, access to them is not universal.
