PART IV : CANCER CAUSED BY VIRUSES?

Are Cancers Linked to Viruses?

Tell the average person that cancer can be caused by a virus and they'll say something like, "I seriously doubt that." If you are one of these people, then you should know that according to the Center for Disease Control, "Infectious agents are known or suspected to play a role in a number of ... forms of cancer." [ 54 ]

What Exactly are "Infectious Agents"?

Infectious organisms include bacteria, chlamydia, fungi, parasites, prions, rickettsias, viruses and others. [ 74 ] Is there any evidence that viruses in particular cause cancer? Yes, several. Liver, Breast, Cervical and others. According to Scientific American, "Over the past 20 years... investigators have not only proved that many different types of cancer indeed stem from viruses, bacteria or parasites, they have also learned that perhaps as many as 15 percent of the world's cancer deaths can be traced to them." [ 92 ]

Liver Cancer: HBsAg Virus Suspected to Play a Role

"High rates of liver cancer have been described in the Alaska Native population [Heyward et al 1981] and the role of infection with hepatitis B virus in the development of primary liver cancer has also been observed [Alward et al 1985]. One study in this population estimated the relative risk of developing primary liver cancer of HBsAg-positive carriers to be 148 times that of non-carriers [McMahon et al 1990]." [ 54 ]

From these studies we can say that cancer is somehow closely connected with certain viruses, but that does not confirm that these viruses cause liver cancer. Correlation does not prove causation. How do you prove that something causes cancer?

 

Suggested Experiement

Take a sample of liver cancer cells, filter them to obtain the HBsAg virus and inject this into a compatible animal. Will the new animal develop the liver cancer? Will you find HBsAG-positive carriers EVERY time? If you kill the HBsAg before injecting it, does the animal then not get the cancer? If you kill HBsAg in a live animal with the cancer, does the cancer go away? Science does not have to be difficult. Just answer the above questions.

Breast Cancer: Strong Link to Human Mammary Tumor Virus

LOS ANGELES, Posted 12:45 p.m. August 13, 1999 -- A researcher has found a strong link between a virus and breast cancer, a major breakthrough in the search for a cause to the disease. Scientists are calling the virus the human mammary tumor virus, reported CBS 2 News. In mice and other animals, it's long been known that a virus can cause breast cancer, said the television station. But it was only recently that researchers identified a similar virus in human breasts. The scientists found the virus present in 85 percent of all human breast cancers. It's only found in 20 percent of healthy breasts. "I think this is very intriguing because it is another virus linked to human cancer," said Dr. Martin Kast, of Loyola University. "Something is going on." The theory is the virus attaches to cells and transforms their DNA. Those cells then start dividing uncontrollably, said CBS 2 News. So if breast cancer is caused by a virus, it might one day be preventable with a vaccine, the television station reported. Similar vaccines for other cancers are already being developed. Researchers at Kast's Loyola laboratory are working on a vaccine for cervical cancer, a tumor proven to be caused by a virus. If the same proof is found for breast cancer, a simple shot might one day prevent that disease. Doctors believe the cancer is passed down genetically from parents to children. There are other contributing factors for breast cancer, but the virus could be the most important. [ 63 ]

Something is going on indeed. Okay, we have viruses implicated in liver cancer [ 64 ] and now we have a "strong link" to breast cancer. [ 63 | 65 ]

Cervical Cancer: Caused by Human Papilloma Virus:

"The WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified HPV infection as "carcinogenic" to humans (HPV types 16 and 18), "probably" carcinogenic (HPV types 31 and 33) and "possibly" carcinogenic (other HPV types except 6 and 11)" 80 | 81

More than 95% of all Cervical Cancer cases can be attributed to three types of human papilloma virus (HPV) the virus that causes genital warts.

Here's how it works: In humans and animals, cell division is regulated largely by two proteins, Rb and p53 [ 82 ]. Two genes in HPV, the "E6" and "E7" genes, produce proteins that can attach to Rb and p53. When the viral gene proteins attach to Rb and p53, they block their effect on regulating cell division. Infected cells then reproduce without any control. (Massimi and Banks 1997). 75 | 76 | 78

The American Cancer Society calls HPV a "risk factor" which is somewhat curious in light of the fact that HPV-16 and HPV-18 are classified as "carcinogenic" and the causative model is crystal clear. Good luck finding the word "virus" on the American Cancer Society web site.

Kaposi's Sarcoma: Caused by Herpes Virus Type 8

"Patients with AIDS often develop a type of cancer called Kaposi's Sarcoma. Recent research has discovered that a virus, called Human Herpes Virus type 8 (HHV8) causes these cancers." [ 66 ]

However we still hear that "Most human cancers are not caused by virues." [ 66 ]

Upon what data is that conclusion based? In other words, is it simply our inability to detect fragile viruses with current techniques that causes this assertion? Have our scientists forgotten how to think?

What Cancer is Not Caused by a Virus?

The American Cancer Society says the cause of cancer is currently unknown. They say that with lung cancer, for example, smoking is a risk factor. Can we be certain, however, that even with lung cancer there is not a dormant virus causing tumors when lung tissues are weakened to a certain point? This would explain why not all smokers get cancer. Keep in mind that I'm no expert. I'm just a curious bystander with an interest in science who is trying to understand as much as possible.

CONCLUSION

There are now cancers which are proven to be caused by viruses. In this claim if nothing else, Rife was many years ahead of his time.