Virus-Induced Cancers in Africa: Epidemiology and Carcinogenesis Mechanisms (original) (raw)

Cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2017

Despite the increasing effects of regional urbanisation in most of sub-Saharan Africa, infection still remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, and it accounts for 30% of all cancers in the region. The young are more commonly affected compared to the older age group in developed countries. Viruses are the most implicated organisms, and the prevalence of HIV in the sub-region has emerged as a major co-factor in cancer development. As most of these infections are preventable, the use of vaccines against carcinogenic infections has proven to be effective in reducing the incidence of majority of these group of cancers. Additionally, early detection and targeted intervention have significantly reduced the burden of infection-related cancers worldwide. While these programs have been successfully incorporated into the health care systems of industrialised nations, limited resources and a lack of tangible indicators of success have limited their effective implementation in sub-Saharan Africa. Measures aimed at increasing awareness of these cancers, effective progress evaluation, and policy-driven prioritisation of cancer prevention and treatment in the sub-region will effectively reduce their incidence and associated morbidity and mortality.

Oncology, 2013

There is much commonality between chronic noncommunicable and communicable diseases which is best exemplified by cancers of infectious origin. It provides the perfect opportunity for harnessing the advances that have been made in the control of communicable diseases to attempt the control of noncommunicable diseases. There are possibilities at various levels of intervention, at primary, secondary and tertiary levels, which fit well within a well-planned national cancer control strategy. Prevention should proceed through steps of disruption of transmission, improvement in disease recognition and diagnosis, as well as through prompt effective treatment. This principle should work for both infection and the resultant cancer. Research is very important in understanding how best to use the available knowledge and how best to sequentially implement strategies. Finally, policies that acknowledge infection-related cancers as a major problem in the region should be in place.

Shifting the center of gravity for addressing the rising cancer disease burden in Africa: A rationale for African-based integrative infectious diseases and oncology research

PLOS global public health, 2023

Regardless of location, few people have escaped being touched by cancer and infectious diseases. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the world has a new-found respect for infectious diseases threats; people everywhere on the planet already had an awareness and substantial fear of cancer. The relationships between infectious diseases and cancer are clear, although we have a lot to learn. Potential vaccine-mediated prevention of >90% of cervical cancers arising from the recognition of human papillomavirus (HPV) oncogenicity [1], as well as the impact of prevention and management of hepatitis B and C viral infection on dramatically reducing hepatocellular carcinoma burden [2, 3], are the most striking examples of the value of exploring such linkages. Helicobacter pylori and gastric cancer [4], Schistosoma haematobium and bladder cancer [5], Epstein-Barr virus and Burkitt's lymphoma [6], and Human Herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) and Kaposi's Sarcoma [7] are other notable examples. Simplistically, infections trigger cancers through chronic inflammation of the tissues they infect, creating the potential for oncogenic mutations in those tissues, but there are multiple processes that contribute at cellular, interstitial, immunologic, vascular and molecular levels, as well as co-factors with innate host characteristics, environmental exposures, especially radiation and toxins, and potentially additional pathogens or pathogen-related substances. Infections and oncogenesis have been characterized with a sufficient number of cancers to wonder whether we are, thus far, just scratching the surface. Upon receiving the Nobel Prize for his work on HPV and cervical cancer in 2005, Harald zur Hausen predicted more discoveries in this field-he was correct-and research efforts on infectious diseases and cancer did expand. At least 800,000 new cancers were estimated for Africa in 2020 with >500,000 deaths, likely underestimated because of limitations in diagnostics and reporting; by 2040, 1.5 million new cases and one million deaths are projected [8]. Cancer prevention, detection, and management

2012

The global cancer burden is projected to increase by 6 million between 2000 and 2030 (WHO, 2012) and most of this increase will be in developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (Thun et al., 2010). Thirty per cent of cancers in these countries are related to infection and most cancer patients are young and in their prime, unlike in the developed world where most are elderly (Parkin, 2006). HIV has emerged as a major factor in the accelerated burden of cancer in the region (Francheschi, 2001; Stefan et al., 2011). Cancer kills more people worldwide than HIV, tuberculosis and malaria combined, with nearly two-thirds of these deaths in the developing world. Yet, proportionately one third of all cancer is preventable, one third is treatable and curable and one third calls for palliative care (Wise, 2011).

Cancer in Africa: a preventable public health crisis

Journal Africain du Cancer / African Journal of Cancer, 2012

Cancer in sub-Saharan Africa is a latent public health crisis. Its burden is expected to increase, as people in this region live longer with reduced risk of death from infectious diseases and increasingly adopt lifestyles that include tobacco use, unhealthy diet, the harmful use of alcohol and reduced physical activity. Promotion of healthy lifestyles including anti-tobacco and alcohol legislation, immunization, early diagnosis by screening target populations and surveillance and monitoring are available to stem this tide. Alarm must be raised now, before it is too late. Africa can avoid a significant proportion of the cancer scourge that lies ahead. This requires the development and implementation of proactive national cancer prevention and control programmes, which are guided by sound scientific evidence. Governments and partners need to grasp the importance of the growing cancer burden in the region and reflect this awareness in their budget and funding policies as recommended in the African Regional Strategy for Cancer Prevention and Control.

The Looming Threat: Cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa

The Oncologist, 2021

Recent trends in cancer epidemiology in low- and middle-income countries show the need for urgent action. This article focuses on sub-Saharan Africa, where populations are showing an increased risk for diseases associated with the Western lifestyle, including cancer.

The Spectrum of Cancers in West Africa: Associations with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

PLoS ONE, 2012

Background: Cancer is a growing co-morbidity among HIV-infected patients worldwide. With the scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in developing countries, cancer will contribute more and more to the HIV/AIDS disease burden. Our objective was to estimate the association between HIV infection and selected types of cancers among patients hospitalized for diagnosis or treatment of cancer in West Africa.

Cancer in Africa: The Untold Story

Frontiers in Oncology, 2021

BackgroundDespite rising incidence and mortality rates in Africa, cancer has been given low priority in the research field and in healthcare services. Indeed, 57% of all new cancer cases around the world occur in low income countries exacerbated by lack of awareness, lack of preventive strategies, and increased life expectancies. Despite recent efforts devoted to cancer epidemiology, statistics on cancer rates in Africa are often dispersed across different registries. In this study our goal included identifying the most promising prevention and treatment approaches available in Africa. To do this, we collated and analyzed the incidence and fatality rates for the 10 most common and fatal cancers in 56 African countries grouped into 5 different regions (North, West, East, Central and South) over 16-years (2002–2018). We examined temporal and regional trends by investigating the most important risk factors associated to each cancer type. Data were analyzed by cancer type, African regio...

Infectious Aetiology of Cancer: Developing World Perspective

Modern Approaches To Quality Control, 2011

Infection attributable cancers contribute over 1/4 th of all cancers in the developing countries (26.3%) compared to the developed countries (7.7%), (Parkin, 2006). Overwhelming majority are related to viral infections. In contrast to other carcinogens where it is usually a 'hit and run' kind of situation, with infectious agents particularly viruses one may precisely demonstrate and prove its presence and integration within host neoplastic cells. Oncogenic DNA viral genome incorporates itself directly into host cells DNA while oncogenic RNA viral genome is transcribed into host cell DNA by reverse transcriptase. Neoplastic transformation usually follows. Oncogenic mechanisms include acting as promoter, transforming protooncogenes into oncogenes. Credit goes to Dr Peyton Rous, a noble laureate pathologist who demonstrated that it was possible to transmit tumours from one animal to other like transmission of an infection. Human tumours with proven or proposed viral aetiology include 'Human papillomavirus (HPV)', Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), Hepatitis B and C viruses, RNA retroviruses like 'Human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV1)', 'Human Herpes Virus-8 (HHV-8). Bacteria with proven carcinogenic potential include 'Helicobacter pylori'. Among fungi aflatoxins produced by 'Aspergillus flavus' are potent carcinogens. Among parasites 'Schistosoma' and 'Clonorchis sinensis' are implicated in the causation of cancer. 2. Human papillomavirus (HPV) HPV is a small epitheliotropic, non enveloped DNA virus belonging to papovaviridae family. Its genome comprises 7000-8000 base pairs of double-stranded closed-circular DNA. At least 70 genetically distinct types of HPV have been identified in humans. According to their oncogenic potential HPV is classified in a high oncogenic risk group (i.e.

A review of the infection-associated cancers in North African countries

Infectious Agents and Cancer, 2016

Cancer is typically classified as a leading non-communicable disease; however, infectious agents, such as Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human papilloma virus (HPV), contribute significantly to the pathogenesis of various cancers. Less developed countries, including countries of the North African (NA) region, endure the highest burden of infection-related cancers. The five most common infection-associated cancers in NA in order of incidence are bladder cancer, cervical cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. This review aims to outline the epidemiologic pattern of infection-associated cancers in five NA countries (namely: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt) highlighting the similarities and differences across the region. The present study employed an initial literature review of peer-reviewed articles selected from PubMed, ScienceDirect and World Health Organization (WHO) databases based on key word searches without restriction on publication dates. Original research articles and reports written in French, as well as data from institutional reports and regional meeting abstracts were also included in this extensive review. Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco were selected to be the focus of this review.

Virus-Induced Cancers in Africa: Epidemiology and Carcinogenesis Mechanisms (original) (raw)

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