The role of viruses

Failure to control normally harmless viruses may lead to cancer in HIV-infected people. The following viruses are thought to contribute to malignant disease in immune-suppressed individuals:

  • Human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8) - causal role in Kaposi's sarcoma.
  • Human papillomavirus (HPV) - causal role in anal and cervical cancer.
  • Epstein-Barr virus (EPV) - possible causal role in lymphoma.
  • Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) - causal role in liver cancer.

 

This content was checked for accuracy at the time it was written. It may have been superseded by more recent developments. NAM recommends checking whether this is the most current information when making decisions that may affect your health.