Question: “Can I get cancer?” now becoming more relevant. More recently, scientists unanimously stated that cancer cannot be infected, however, today there are several theories of carcinogenesis, and one of them quite reasonably states that some types of cancer have a viral etiology. In addition to viruses that pose a danger to a healthy person, cancer can develop under the influence of spontaneous cell mutations, radiation and chemical effects. There is a version that cancer is inherited in the form of a specific gene, which is responsible for the development of the tumor.
Is it possible to get a cancer of viral etiology?
Why is the virus considered the culprit in the development of cancer cells in the human body? The fact is that it is not able to multiply on its own, therefore it attacks the DNA of the cell, embeds its own in it and thereby creates its own clones. In the synthesis of new virus cells, an ordinary cell most often dies. The oncogenic virus is characterized in that, being introduced into human DNA, it does not destroy the cell, but turns it into a source of tumor development. It also happens that the virus only activates its own cellular oncogen, in which case the probability of developing a tumor is negligible. Therefore, to the question: “Can I get cancer?” today it is impossible to answer unequivocally.
The likelihood of developing a cancerous tumor is small
Experts say that even carriers of oncovirus have a chance to get the disease no more than 0.1%. In order for an oncological disease to manifest itself, a huge number of factors must coincide. Today, science reliably knows only about certain types of viruses, but they are responsible for only 15% of all oncological diseases. So, with regard to cervical cancer, there is quite convincing evidence that this ailment is caused by a sexually transmitted virus. Thus, cervical cancer can be attributed to one of the types of sexually transmitted diseases, which confirms the theory that cancer is contagious.
Some types of viruses responsible for the development of tumors in the body
Human papillomavirus
The transmission route of papillomovirus in the human body is predominantly sexual, but experts do not exclude the contact-household route of infection through microtrauma and fissures on the human body. To date, more than a hundred species of papillomoviruses have been studied, but only the 16th and 18th types can cause oncology.
Epstein-Barr virus
There is confirmed evidence that this particular virus is capable of cause the development of lymphomas in the body, nasopharyngeal cancer and infectious mononucleosis. Despite the fact that this virus is found in almost every person and is transmitted with saliva, neoplasms due to it develop extremely rarely and have a pronounced race. Thus, nasopharyngeal cancer is quite common among Asians, and Berket’s lymphoma in Africans. The main factor for the development of lymphomas with the participation of this virus is pronounced immunodeficiency.
Type 8 Human Herpes Virus
Its mechanism of action has not yet been sufficiently studied, but there is already evidence of a connection between the herpes virus and Kaposi’s sarcoma and some lymphomas. Most often, its distribution in the human body is associated with the presence of immunodeficiency. It is believed that the virus is spread among a small number of Russians and is transmitted primarily through sexual contact.
Human T Cell Leukemia Virus
The virus is transmitted from person to person both vertically and sexually. It provokes the development of T-cell leukemia in the body. Most common in Japan in the Caribbean.
Breast cancer virus
Despite the prevalence, this virus is not as scary as it seems. It causes tumors only in 1% of cases, and therefore does not belong to the category of dangerous ones.
To answer the question: “Can I get cancer?”, It is necessary to carefully study the etiology of viruses and find out why their effects on the human body are not the same. In any case, the observance of personal and intimate hygiene, the rejection of promiscuous sexual relations, and an increase in immunity are excellent prophylaxis of a cancerous tumor in the body.