How Infections Cause Cancer
Certain infections cause long-term inflammation, suppress immunity or insert genes that disrupt cell growth. Worldwide, around 13% of cancers are attributable to infections — many of them preventable by vaccination or treatment.
Key Cancer-Linked Infections
| Infection | Associated cancers | Prevention / treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Human papillomavirus (HPV) | Cervical, oropharyngeal, anal, penile, vulvar | HPV vaccine; cervical screening |
| Hepatitis B virus (HBV) | Liver | Vaccination; antiviral therapy |
| Hepatitis C virus (HCV) | Liver, some lymphomas | Curative antiviral treatment |
| Helicobacter pylori | Stomach cancer, MALT lymphoma | Antibiotic eradication therapy |
| Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) | Nasopharyngeal, Burkitt and Hodgkin lymphoma | No vaccine yet; monitoring |
| HIV | Kaposi sarcoma, lymphomas, cervical | Antiretroviral therapy; screening |
| HHV-8 (KSHV) | Kaposi sarcoma | Immune restoration |
| HTLV-1 | Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma | Safe blood supply, avoiding transmission |
| Schistosoma haematobium | Bladder | Antiparasitic treatment |
| Liver flukes | Bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma) | Avoiding raw freshwater fish; treatment |
Medically reviewed content for education only — not a substitute for advice from your oncology team.