Contents

Disclaimer

Oxford University Press makes no representation, express or implied, that the drug dosages in this book are correct. Readers must therefore always check the product information and clinical procedures with the most up to date published product information and data sheets provided by the manufacturers and the most recent codes of conduct and safety regulations. The authors and the publishers do not accept responsibility or legal liability for any errors in the text or for the misuse or misapplication of material in this work. Except where otherwise stated, drug dosages and recommendations are for the non-pregnant adult who is not breastfeeding.

Show Summary Details
Page of

Viruses and cancer 

Viruses and cancer
Chapter:
Viruses and cancer
Author(s):

Robin A. Weiss

DOI:
10.1093/med/9780198746690.003.0101
Page of

PRINTED FROM OXFORD MEDICINE ONLINE (www.oxfordmedicine.com). © Oxford University Press, 2021. All Rights Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford Medicine Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice).

date: 05 March 2021

Viruses are important in cancer for three main reasons: as a cause of cancer—about 15% of the worldwide cancer burden is due to viruses; in understanding of the biology of cancer-through the discovery and characterization of oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes; and in the treatment of cancer—some viruses selectively replicate in and destroy proliferating cells, viruses as foreign antigens may aid the recognition of cancer cells by the host’s immune system (‘xenogenization’), and viruses can also be used as vectors for immunization and for gene therapy. Viral cancers are prevented by early screening for tumours, screening for the virus in order to prevent transmission, and immunization as in the cases of hepatitis B virus and human papilloma virus.

Access to the complete content on Oxford Medicine Online requires a subscription or purchase. Public users are able to search the site and view the abstracts for each book and chapter without a subscription.

Please subscribe or login to access full text content.

If you have purchased a print title that contains an access token, please see the token for information about how to register your code.

For questions on access or troubleshooting, please check our FAQs, and if you can't find the answer there, please contact us.