Journal of Bacteriology & Parasitology

Multiple infections in cancer: Epidemiology approches in cancer control

International Congress on Bacteriology & Infectious Diseases

November 20-22, 2013 DoubleTree by Hilton Baltimore-BWI Airport, MD, USA

Mukesh Verma

Accepted Abstracts: J Bacteriol Parasitol

Abstract:

Approximately 18% of the global cancer burden has been attributed to infectious agents, with estimates ranging from 7% in developed countries to about 22% in developing countries. Chronic infections caused by the hepatitis B and C viruses, human papillomaviruses (HPV), and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) are reported to be responsible for approximately 15% of all human cancers. Interestingly, although many of the infectious agents that have been associated with cancer?such as HPV, Epstein- Barr virus (EBV), and H. pylori-are highly prevalent in the world, most infected individuals do not develop cancer but remain lifelong carriers. Malignancies associated with infectious agents may result from prolonged latency as a result of chronic infections. Pathogenic infections are necessary but are not sufficient for cancer initiation or progression. Cancer initiation may require additional cofactors, including secondary infections. Therefore, in patients with chronic infection with one agent, secondary coinfection with another agent may serve as an important co-factor that may cause cancer initiation and progression. Additionally, opportunistic co-infections could significantly inhibit response to cancer treatment and increase cancer mortality. Co‐infections are relatively common in areas with a high prevalence of infectious agents, especially in developing countries. These co-infections can cause an imbalance in the host immune system by affecting persistence of and susceptibility to malignant infections. Several articles have been published that focus on infectious agents and cancer. In this presentation, the role of infectious agents in malignancies, highlight the role of multiple/co-infections in cancer etiology, and review implications for cancer epidemiology will be discussed.

Biography :

Mukesh Verma is a Program Director and Chief in the Methods and Technologies Branch (MTB), Epidemiology and Genetics Research Program (EGRP) of the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences (DCCPS) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH). Before coming to the DCCPS, he was a Program Director in the Division of Cancer Prevention (DCP), NCI, providing direction in the areas of biomarkers, early detection, risk assessment and prevention of cancer, and cancers associated with infectious agents. He holds a M.Sc. from Pantnagar University and a Ph.D. from Banaras Hindu University. He did postdoctoral research at George Washington University and was a faculty member at Georgetown University. He has published 126 research articles and reviews and edited three books in cancer epigenetics and epidemiology field.