Association of Various Viral Infections with the Risk of Gastrointestinal Cancers in the Iranian Population

Abstract

Introduction: Gastrointestinal cancers are among the most common cancers worldwide. Since some viral infections are carcinogenic, they may lead to gastrointestinal tract (GIT) neoplasms. This study aimed at investigating the relationship of GIT with John Cunningham Virus (JCV), Herpes Simplex virus (HSV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Methods: The present study was conducted at two educational centers (Ghaem and Imam Reza hospitals) in Mashhad, Iran, on a case group including 81 patients with such GIT cancers as stomach (n = 26), esophagus (n = 28), and colorectal (n = 27), and a control group including 81 subjects with gastrointestinal complaints without GIT cancers. The DNA of viruses was detected using Real-Time PCR. Results: The results revealed that JCV and HPV infections were significantly expressed in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), compared to healthy control subjects. The frequency of EBV and HPV in participants with gastric cancer (GC) was significantly higher than that in those in the control group, and JCV infection was more frequent in esophageal cancer (EC) relative to healthy subjects. JCV infection significantly increased the odds of CRC and EC incidence by 11.8 and 10.2 folds, respectively, compared to the healthy participants. In addition, EBV and HPV were associated with a 10.8 and 6.7-fold higher risk of GC or CRC, respectively. Conclusions: The findings of the present study suggest that JCV, EBV, and HPV infections can be correlated with the risk of gastrointestinal cancers; however, gastrointestinal cancers showed no correlation with HSV and CMV. © 2024, PJD Publications Ltd. All rights reserved.