Examining Microbial Oncogenicity: Research on the Intersect of Infectious Diseases and Cancers to Reduce Disease Burden

Discovering relationships between microbes and cancer has led to transformative strategies to prevent, diagnose and treat cancers. For instance, the focus on cervical cancer prevention and screening is entirely based on the discovery that >90% of cervical cancers are precipitated by human papillomavirus. Likewise, a substantial proportion of hepatocellular carcinomas can be prevented by immunization with hepatitis B vaccine and by treatment of hepatitis C infections. While there are other known intersections between microbes in cancer, like gastric cancer and Helicobacter pylori and gastric cancer, Epstein-Barr virus and lymphomas and head and neck, suggesting a broader spectrum of microbial involvement in oncogenesis.

This Research Topic will examine: a) known and novel microbial facilitators for cancer incidence and severity; b) potential new strategies to prevent or treat cancers by focusing on the relationship of cancers with microbes and infectious diseases; c) evidence for (and evaluations of) interventions to reduce the impact of cancers and cancer therapies on infectious disease incidence, severity and outcomes.

To gather further insights in the complex interplay between infectious diseases and cancers, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

- Novel microbial agents linked to cancer

- Mechanisms of microbial oncogenesis

-Advances in vaccines and treatments targeting oncogenic infections

-The impact of cancer on the course and severity of infectious diseases

-Epidemiological studies on infection-related cancers

- Policy implications for cancer prevention through infectious disease control