Infectious Diseases and HIV Conference

Some viruses have been identified as causing cancer. Viral infection is estimated to account for around 15-20% of all cancers diagnosed worldwide.

This lecture session will cover the oncogenic viruses and their involvement in cancer, mechanisms of oncogenic transformation of these viruses, and current strategies of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of virus-related cancers. Oncogenic viruses alter the cell life patterns by their insertion into host cells, integrating their genetic material into them.

They interfere with cellular normal functions and promote unregulated cell proliferation. Some of the most critical examples include Human Papillomavirus (HPV) that has been linked to the development of cervical and head and neck cancers; Hepatitis B and C viruses, with which liver cancer is known to be associated; and Epstein-Barr virus, which is identified as being linked with Burkitt lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma, but mainly associated with Hodgkin's lymphoma.

In this session, molecular mechanisms of viral oncogenes is include activation of oncogenes, inhibition of tumor suppressor genes, and induction of chronic inflammation. Most of the prevention of virus-associated cancers is achieved by preventing viral infection through vaccination, screening, and antiviral treatments.

The important examples are the vaccines for human papillomavirus and Hepatitis B: these prevent the initial infection and have decreased the incidence of virus-associated cancers dramatically.

This session will review the results of these successful vaccination programs, the current efforts towards extending vaccine coverage, and the potential development of new vaccines against other oncogenic viruses. The diagnosis and treatment of cancer caused by viruses involve a multidisciplinary approach. Screening programs, for example, HPV-based cervical cancer screening, have improved the outcomes because pervasive lesions can be diagnosed before being invasive.

Virus-related cancer patients are treated with antiviral therapy, targeted cancer therapies, immunotherapy, or conventional treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.

The programmer will give participants a general overview of how certain viruses are associated with the development of the cancer, current advances in preventive methods, and the latest treatment strategies to effectively manage virus-related malignancies.