Research links breast cancer with a virus

New research from the University of New South Wales suggests that some cases of breast cancer could be caused by a virus.

While the findings are preliminary, if the link between the virus and breast cancer could be proved, it could lead to the development of a vaccine.One in 11 Australian women will develop breast cancer before the age of 75.While genetics account for about 5 per cent of cases, there is no clear cause for the remaining patients.A group of young Australian scientists believes that viruses could be to blame.”We have shown for the first time a link between a virus and breast cancer in the Australian population,” said Caroline Ford from the University of New South Wales.University researchers studied tissue samples from 200 patients with breast cancer.In 40 per cent of the samples, they found a new virus, a human version of the disease which causes breast tumours in mice.They still do not know exactly how the virus got into the tissue.”Because it is such a strong link we are interested in investigating it further and seeing if there is a casual link between the two,” Dr Margaret Faedo, molecular biologist and project leader said.The virus was found most often in the aggressive breast tumours in both male and female patients.Doctors already know that viruses cause other types of cancer, such as the human papilloma virus and cervical cancer.If a link between this virus and breast cancer can be proven, it could open the way for a vaccine.Australian breast cancer experts believe it is unlikely a virus would be the sole cause of breast cancer.”It’s too early to say that there is a casual link between breast cancer and a virus,” Dr Helen Zorbas from the National Breast Cancer Centre said.Researchers are now looking for the virus in other hormone related cancers.(Source: ABC, 18 August 2003)