Private MD News

Researchers connect two viruses to prostate cancer

Category: Prostate

A team of scientists found possible links between prostate cancer and both the human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein Barr virus (EBV). These results may have implications for men who, with the help of a lab test, discover that they have this malignant disease.

Both HPV and EBV have been associated with cancer. In order to elucidate any possible relationships with prostate malignancies, researchers from the University of New South Wales in Australia studied 100 prostate samples that were collected from men who had malignant or benign disease, as well as healthy males.

Results showed that HPV and EBV were found in more than half of malignant samples. The two viruses were also present in a significant number of healthy and benign prostates.

"I should caution that their presence is not conclusive of a role in prostate cancer," said study co-author Noel Whitaker. "But given their well-established track record with other cancers, it would seem quite unlikely that they are harmless."

Men who are concerned about their prostate health may want to consider undergoing a lab test to detect markers of cancer.

According to the National Cancer Institute, nearly 242,000 American men will be newly diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2012.