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Keywords | Virus | bacteria | HPV | HTLV | HCV | EBV | KSHV | HHV8 | helicobacter pylori |<br />
INCA<br />
The role of chronic infections<br />
in the development of cancer<br />
Summary<br />
Approximately 17 % of the human cancer cases occurring<br />
worldwide are caused by infectious agents, in particular by<br />
viruses, bacteria and some parasites. Using a multidisciplinary<br />
approach, the INCA project will investigate the role of<br />
six of these infectious agents in the pathogenesis of infectionassociated<br />
cancers.<br />
Problem<br />
To date, nine infectious agents have been recognised as<br />
human carcinogens by the International Agency for the<br />
<strong>Research</strong> on <strong>Cancer</strong>: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), Kaposi sarcoma<br />
herpes virus (KSHV), Human papillomavirus (HPV),<br />
Human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV-I), Hepatitis B virus<br />
(HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), Helicobacter pylori (HP),<br />
Schistosoma haemotobium and liver fl ukes (Opisthorchis<br />
viverrini, Clonorchis sinensis). These nine infectious agents<br />
are responsible for about 17 % of cancer cases worldwide, i.e.<br />
approximately 1.6 million newly diagnosed cases of cancer<br />
annually. In addition, more recent epidemiological evidence<br />
suggests that Chlamydiae could play a co-factor role in the<br />
development of cervical and lung cancer, and an involvement<br />
of enterohepatic Helicobacter in hepatobiliary tumours has<br />
been suggested. Moreover, infection-associated cancer is also<br />
of increasing importance in immunosuppressed individuals,<br />
i.e. transplant recipients and AIDS patients.<br />
Aim<br />
The INCA project will investigate the role of six of these<br />
infectious agents – EBV, KSHV/HHV8, HPV, HTLV-I, HCV,<br />
and HP – in the pathogenesis of infection-associated cancer.<br />
In addition, the co-factor role of enterohepatic HP will also<br />
be investigated.<br />
The INCA Integrated Project aims towards a better understanding<br />
of the molecular and cellular circuits involved in the<br />
development of cancers caused by these infectious agents,<br />
of the mechanisms of long-term persistence of these infectious<br />
agents in apparently healthy hosts, and of genetic<br />
factors contributing to the development of these types of<br />
cancer.<br />
Expected results<br />
Based on this knowledge, INCA will develop and validate animal<br />
models to study chronic infl ammation and cancer<br />
progression, and new diagnostic procedures for the identifi cation<br />
of infected individuals likely to develop infection-associated<br />
malignancies. This will ultimately lead to the identifi cation of<br />
new drugs and procedures to interfere with processes that are<br />
central to the development of infection-associated cancer.<br />
The results of this joint eff ort will contribute to the understanding<br />
of malignant transformation and provide new tools<br />
to address an urgent socio-economic and human need.<br />
Potential applications<br />
Diagnostics and therapy.<br />
AETIOLOGY 93
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