Viral associations with hematologic cancers.

Abstract

Hematologic malignancies (HMs) continue to present a burden upon healthcare systems worldwide, with over one million incident cases reported in 2020 alone. It has been known for decades that infectious agents serve as the etiologic agents for a number of neoplastic disorders and outright cancers. Viruses are the predominant infectious contributor to oncogenesis among HMs. The PubMed database was utilized to outline the present state of understanding as it relates to viral associations with HMs. Viruses with the most evidence supporting their association with the development of HMs include Epstein-Barr virus, human immunodeficiency virus, human T-lymphotropic virus, hepatitis C virus and Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus. Reactivation of latent hepatitis B virus is associated with treatment regimens commonly used in the management of HMs. Furthermore, brief summaries of the oncogenic mechanisms underlying the aforementioned associations and an overview of current management principles are presented. Such information may serve to guide clinicians in establishing the etiology of their patients' malignancy and help establish best practices to prevent the spread and reactivation of viruses associated with the development and treatment of HMs.