Revealed: The viruses that can give you cancer. Experts now say one in five cases could be triggered by an illness. Our special report by leading doctors tells you how to protect yourself By Pat Hagan Published: 12:00, 19 September 2024 | Updated: 12:06, 19 September 2024 e-mail View comments Quit smoking, go easy on the alcohol and stick to a healthy diet.
For years, this has been the mantra for reducing our risk of cancer , a disease that now affects one in two of us at some point in our lives. But while that's sound advice based on masses of solid evidence, it's not always the case that cancer is the result of lifestyle, personal habits or even genetic risk. In fact, according to the American Society for Microbiology, nearly one in five cancer-related deaths globally (and around 1.
4 million new cases of the disease around the world every year) are due to an infection caused by a virus, bacteria or some other organism that weakens the body's defences enough for cancerous cells to sneak past and start multiplying. This doesn't mean cancer itself is infectious – or can be caught from others – but it does mean the disease can be partly triggered by certain bugs we pick up in our everyday lives. The bug that could be the cause of a role is a particular strain of E.
coli – best known as a cause of food poisoning outbreaks via undercooked meat and contaminated vegetables and salads Now research suggests this might explain why cases of bowel cancer appear to be on the increa.