In a new study from the University of York, researchers found that a common childhood viral infection may lead to bladder cancer.
The virus—called BK—could be responsible for patterns of DNA damage seen in bladder tumors.
BK virus infects most people as children and causes cold-like symptoms.
The virus can remain hidden in the kidneys and reactivate if the immune system is weakened by factors such as medical treatments or old age.
There are around 10,000 new cases of bladder cancer in the UK each year, with kidney transplant patients disproportionately affected by the disease.
Estimates vary, but they are more than twice as likely to get bladder cancer than the general population, with one study suggesting they might be as much as 25 times more likely.
The main risk factor for bladder cancer is smoking, however, when scientists have examined DNA from bladder tumors, they have not found the patterns of DNA damage they would expect from smoke carcinogens.
The DNA of bladder tumors actually carries damage that has the signature pattern of APOBEC enzymes.
The findings alter our understanding of the causes of bladder cancer by showing that BK virus infections are a risk factor for bladder cancer because they force bladder cells to use APOBECs that damage their DNA.
The study also shows that it’s very important to develop a BK vaccine, much like the HPV vaccine which has successfully reduced rates of cervical cancer.
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The study was conducted by Simon C. Baker et al., and published in Oncogene.
