Revista de carcinogénesis y mutagénesis

Abstracto

Promotion of Tumorigenesis and Clinical Implications of Viral Infection in Breast Cancer

Afsar Rahbar

The prevalence of breast cancer is rising worldwide. The main cause of death from breast cancer is distant metastasis, which occurs within 3 years after diagnosis in 10–15% of patients. The initiation and progression of breast cancer have been related to both external and internal factors, including viral infection. Human cytomegalovirus infection (HCMV) is common in breast cancer and metastases, and high tumor levels of HCMV appear to worsen outcomes. HCMV can increase the malignant behavior of tumor cells by modulating multiple cellular regulatory and signaling pathways and enhance the proliferation, survival, invasion, motility, and adhesion of tumor cells. Although HCMV seems to have an oncomodulatory role in breast cancer, definitive evidence for a causal role is lacking, and further studies are needed. The current review will discuss evidence that links viral infections to breast cancer.