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Breast cancer and cytomegalovirus

  • Research Article
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Abstract

Purpose

To determine whether cytomegalovirus is causally associated with breast cancer and whether cytomegalovirus should be categorised as an oncogenic virus.

Methods

We undertook a review of published epidemiological and laboratory studies, using established causal criteria: Bradford Hill criteria to determine whether cytomegalovirus is associated with breast cancer; and Evans/Mueller criteria to determine whether cytomegalovirus should be categorised as an oncogenic virus.

Results

Although there are inconsistencies in the findings of published epidemiological and laboratory studies, these may be explained by factors such as: differences in timing of blood samples, differences in selection of cases and controls, or high cytomegalovirus seroprevalence among participants in the epidemiological studies; and, in the laboratory studies, differences in sample preparations, age of sample, whether or not paired breast cancer and normal breast tissue samples were used, differences in the tests, primers and/or antibodies used, differences in histological types of breast cancer studied, and/or features of the virus.

Conclusions

Overall, the results of published studies of cytomegalovirus and breast cancer suggest cytomegalovirus is a causal factor for at least some types of breast cancer. If the evidence for a link between cytomegalovirus and breast cancer continues to strengthen, further research could lead to: targeted screening; therapy using antiviral drugs; and, perhaps, primary prevention of a significant proportion of breast cancer. Vaccination against viruses has already been shown to be effective in preventing cervix and liver cancer; cytomegalovirus vaccines are already under development.

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Acknowledgements

Ann Richardson is partially supported by the Wayne Francis Charitable Trust. Brian Cox is partially supported by the Director’s Cancer Research Trust administered by Perpetual Guardian, New Zealand. Bridget Robinson is partially supported by the Mackenzie Charitable Foundation. Margaret Currie is partially supported by the Mackenzie Charitable Foundation. Logan Walker is supported by a Royal Society of New Zealand Rutherford Discovery Fellowship

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wayne Francis Cancer Epidemiology Research Group, School of Health Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand

    A. K. Richardson & J. D. Potter

  2. Mackenzie Cancer Research Group, Department of Pathology and Biomedical Science, University of Otago Christchurch, Christchurch, New Zealand

    L. C. Walker, B. A. Robinson, H. Morrin & M. J. Currie

  3. Hugh Adam Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    B. Cox

  4. Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    H. Rollag

  5. Department of the Dean, University of Otago Christchurch, Christchurch, New Zealand

    J. F. Pearson

  6. Centre for Public Health Research, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand

    J. D. Potter

  7. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA

    J. D. Potter

  8. University of Canterbury Library, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand

    M. Paterson

  9. European Science Infrastructure Services, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    H.-M. Surcel

  10. Finnish Cancer Registry Institute for Statistical and Epidemiological Cancer Research, Helsinki, Finland

    E. Pukkala

  11. Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland

    E. Pukkala

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  1. A. K. Richardson
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  2. L. C. Walker
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  3. B. Cox
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  12. M. J. Currie
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Correspondence to A. K. Richardson.

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Richardson, A.K., Walker, L.C., Cox, B. et al. Breast cancer and cytomegalovirus. Clin Transl Oncol 22, 585–602 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-019-02164-1

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