Many lung cancer patients always ask this question: Is my disease contagious? Do you want to share a meal with your family? Does it matter if I stay with a small child? In fact, cancer cells are formed by mutations of normal cells in the human body, not foreign things, so there is no contagiousness. But there are some bacteria and viruses that are carcinogenic, and these pathogens are contagious.
Today, take stock of all the pathogens that can cause cancer, including 7 viruses and 1 bacteria.
1. Hepatitis B virus
The mainland is a large country of hepatitis B, it is estimated that nearly 90 million people infected with hepatitis B virus in China, unlike European and American countries, the most important causative factor for liver cancer patients in mainland China is hepatitis B virus infection. 80-90% of liver cancers develop from hepatitis B. Hepatitis B virus itself has no direct cytotoxic effect, but after infection, it continues to replicate in the body, activating the immune response and causing an inflammatory response. Chronic hepatitis B to cirrhosis and then to liver cancer, known as the "liver disease trilogy". Injecting the hepatitis B vaccine is the most effective way to prevent infection.
2. Hepatitis C virus
In Western countries, hepatitis C is one of the main causes of liver cancer. In addition to this, it may also increase the risk of developing diseases such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Unlike hepatitis B, there is currently no hepatitis C vaccine. Mainland hepatitis C virus infection is mainly due to unsafe blood transfusions in the past.
3. HPV virus
HPV virus, also known as human papillomavirus. The study found that 99.7% of cervical cancers are caused by HPV infection. More than 100 HPV viruses have been isolated, of which 14 HPV types are classified as "high-risk". Patients with high-risk HPV virus infection have a higher chance of developing cervical cancer in the future and need timely antiviral therapy.
In addition to cervical cancer, HPV infection can also cause vaginal, perineal,, and throat cancers. The famous Oscar-winning actress Michael Douglas was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2010, mainly because of HPV infection due to a special route. A New England journal article on laryngeal cancer pointed out that more than 70% of oropharyngeal cancers are related to HPV, and HPV is becoming the latest "killer" of laryngeal cancer.
4. Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)
Epstein-Barr virus, also known as human herpes virus. Humans are hosts of EBV and are transmitted mainly through saliva. In Southeast Asia, southern Mainland China, and Taiwan, EPV infection is often strongly associated with NASOPHARY. The incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is 40 times higher than that of people with positive EBV antibodies.
Epstein-Barr virus mainly infects B cells and pharyngeal epithelial cells, but also NK and T cells, which can cause a variety of benign and malignant lymphocytic proliferative diseases such as infectious mononucleosis, Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Burkitt lymphoma, which is endemic in Uganda, Africa, is strongly associated with EPV infection.
5. Human T lymphocyte virus type 1 (HTLV-1)
HTLV-1 was the first retrovirus to be found to be pathogenic in humans, mainly through bloodborne, sexually transmitted and mother-to-child transmission. The data showed that after infection with HTLV-1, the chance of developing leukemia/lymphoma in men and women was 6.6% and 2.1%, respectively. HTLV-1 infection, which is relatively common in drug users who share a syringe, has no effective treatment after infection, mainly in prevention. The overall prevalence of the virus is low on the mainland.
6. HIV virus
That is, HIV, HIV will attack the immune system, reduce the body's ability to resist disease, so that hepatitis B, hepatitis C, herpes, EB and other viruses are more likely to survive in the body, thereby increasing the incidence of a variety of cancers, AIDS most commonly complicated by tumors is Kaposi sarcoma, followed by non-Hodgkin lymphoma and cervical invasive tumors. People living with HIV can also have liver cancer, lung cancer, perianal tumors, etc.
7. Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8)
Human herpes virus 8, also known as Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV), is mainly infected and latent in lymphocytes, can be transmitted by sexual routes, and is associated with diseases such as Kaposi sarcoma, primary exudative lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.
8. Helicobacter pylori (HP)
In the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Helicobacter pylori is targeted as a class of carcinogens, and Helicobacter pylori infection is significantly associated with the occurrence and progression of gastric cancer. The rate of Helicobacter pylori infection in primary gastric MALT lymphoma is very high, so it is thought that the occurrence of gastric MALT lymphoma may be related to Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection. The main route of infection is transmission through saliva. Therefore, the meal sharing system is the most effective way to prevent HP. For HP-positive and gastric symptoms, anti-HP therapy is recommended.