UCSF

Microbes have been known to drive human cancers for over half a century. However, despite the association of bacterial and viral infections with a high risk of cancer, most infections do not result in the development of cancer. Additionally, certain bacteria and viruses, considered to drive oncogenesis, are commonly prevalent in the global population. The current study performed a comprehensive meta-analysis of primary literature data to identify particular aspects of microbial genotypes as crucial factors that dictate the cancer risks associated with infection. The results indicated the importance of incorporating microbial genotype information with human genotypes into clinical assays for the more efficient diagnosis and prognosis of patients with cancer. The current review focuses on the importance of microbial genotypes and specific genes and genetic differences that are important to human oncogenesis.