Virus-Induced Cancers in Africa: Epidemiology and Carcinogenesis Mechanisms

Abstract

The resurgence of infectious diseases on the African continent plays a major role in the increase in cancer occurrence. Whereas in developed countries the causes of occurrence of cancers are related mainly to non-infectious factors; cancers of infectious origin become a dramatic particularity in Africa. The proportion of virus-induced cancers may reach up to 75% of cancer cases in certain countries. Oncogenic viruses such as human papilloma virus (HPV), hepatitis viruses B and C, human herpes virus 8 and Epstein Barr virus in association with human immunodeficiency virus are the main viral etiologies of cancers in Africa, representing around 30% of cancers causes. Optimistically, 30% of cancers could be prevented in Africa. However, health burden prevails on the continent due to the weakness of health policy especially regarding preventive medicine, but also the limited technical facilities, poor manpower and insufficient political commitment. We felt urgent to review the state of the art of the question, and necessary to analyze and publicize the current epidemiological advances in oncogenic viruses and virus-induced cancers in Africa. Prevention implies understanding, which is compulsory to reverse the current trends and to potentially instate a control of virus-induced cancers.