Stem Cell Theory of Cancer: Implications of a Viral Etiology in Certain Malignancies

In 1911, Peyton Rous (Nobel Prize winner in 1966) demonstrated that a virus (i.e., RSV) caused cancer in chickens. In 1976, Bishop and Varmus (Nobel Prize winners in 1989) showed that the cellular origin of retroviral oncogenes was actually normal cellular genes (i.e., proto-oncogenes). In this arti...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cancers 2021-06, Vol.13 (11), p.2738
Main Author: Tu, Shi-Ming
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Autoimmunity
Cancer
Cell differentiation
Chronic illnesses
COVID-19
Embryos
Etiology
Experiments
Genomes
Hepatitis
Immune system
Infections
Inflammation
Liver cancer
Oncology
Ontogeny
Progenitor cells
Proto-oncogenes
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Stem cells
Tumorigenesis
Tumors
Viewpoint
Viral diseases
Viral infections
Viruses
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Summary:In 1911, Peyton Rous (Nobel Prize winner in 1966) demonstrated that a virus (i.e., RSV) caused cancer in chickens. In 1976, Bishop and Varmus (Nobel Prize winners in 1989) showed that the cellular origin of retroviral oncogenes was actually normal cellular genes (i.e., proto-oncogenes). In this article, we revisit the role viruses play in the genetic origin of cancer. We review a link between viruses or cancer and autoimmunity in an alternative stem cell origin of cancer. We propose that a virus is more likely to cause cancer when it infects a progenitor stem-like cell rather than a progeny differentiated cell. We postulate that both known (e.g., HBV and HPV) and novel viruses (e.g., SARS-CoV-2) pose an imminent threat in the emergence of chronic viral diseases as well as virally induced malignancies. Knowing the origin of cancer has profound implications on our current conception and perception of cancer. It affects our conduct in cancer research and our delivery of cancer care. It would be ironic if viruses turn out to be a useful tool and an ideal means in our quest to verify a genetic versus stem cell origin of cancer. When it pertains, oncology recapitulates ontogeny; although genetic makeup is pivotal, cellular context may be paramount to elucidating a stem cell origin of cancer.
ISSN:2072-6694
2072-6694
DOI:10.3390/cancers13112738