Is breast cancer caused by late exposure to a common virus?
Although there are recognized risk factors for breast cancer, its cause is still unknown. It is hypothesized here that breast cancer results from late exposure to a common virus. This hypothesis is investigated by relating the epidemiology of breast cancer to the seroepidemiology of cytomegalovirus, as a surrogate for a breast cancer virus. The hypothesis is consistent with the geographical distribution of breast cancer; a correlation between breast cancer incidence and the percentage of adults who are cytomegalovirus seropositive in various countries was found (Pearson correlation coefficient -0.79). The hypothesis is also consistent with other risk factors for breast cancer, such as age at onset, family history, hormonal factors and migration.
Richardson
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Department of Public Health and General Practice, Christchurch School of Medicine, New Zealand.
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000821:virology*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D016158:Genes, p53; D006728:Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009154:Mutation; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006728:Hormones