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[General pathology](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/) · [Neoplasia](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/#a-neoplasia)

# Oncogenic viruses and H. pylori: the table to know

- Topic

Some viruses, one bacterium and a few parasites can cause cancer, either by switching off the cell's brakes or by keeping tissue inflamed for years.

Updated 2026-11-01

## Key points

- HPV: E6 → p53 degraded; E7 → RB inactivated; types 16 and 18 are high risk.
- EBV: Burkitt, Hodgkin, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, post-transplant lymphoma.
- HBV and HCV → hepatocellular carcinoma; HHV-8 → Kaposi sarcoma; HTLV-1 → adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma.
- H. pylori → gastric adenocarcinoma and MALT lymphoma (the only bacterium classed as a carcinogen).
- S. haematobium → squamous bladder carcinoma; liver flukes → cholangiocarcinoma.

## What it is

Infections cause a large share of cancers worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries such as Colombia. Some agents act directly, with viral proteins that block tumour suppressors (HPV) or mimic growth signals (EBV, HTLV-1, HHV-8); others act indirectly, through years of chronic inflammation and cell turnover (hepatitis B and C, H. pylori, flukes). Many of these cancers are preventable by vaccination, treatment of the infection or screening.

## Key facts

- HPV integration usually breaks the viral E2 gene, which then no longer restrains E6 and E7 expression.
- Burkitt lymphoma carries the MYC translocation t(8;14); endemic African cases are EBV-associated.
- Early gastric MALT lymphoma can regress after H. pylori eradication.
- HIV itself is not oncogenic; it raises cancer risk through immunosuppression.

## Step by step

- Direct route: the viral genome persists in the cell, often integrated into host DNA (HPV, HBV).
- Viral oncoproteins disable tumour suppressors (p53, RB) or switch on growth pathways (NF-κB).
- Indirect route: the agent keeps the tissue inflamed for years (HCV, H. pylori, flukes).
- Inflammation produces free radicals and forces constant regeneration, so replication errors accumulate.
- Immunosuppression (HIV, transplant) lets virus-driven clones escape (Kaposi sarcoma, EBV lymphomas).
- Only a minority of infected people develop cancer, after a long latency and with cofactors.

## Infectious agents and the cancers they cause

| Agent | Cancer | Key mechanism |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [High-risk HPV (types 16, 18 and others)](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/cervical-cancer/) | Cervical, anal, oropharyngeal, vulvar, vaginal and penile carcinoma | E6 degrades p53; E7 binds and inactivates RB |
| [Hepatitis B virus](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/hepatocellular-carcinoma/) | Hepatocellular carcinoma | Chronic inflammation and regeneration; DNA integration; HBx protein |
| [Hepatitis C virus](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/viral-hepatitis/) | Hepatocellular carcinoma (and some B-cell lymphomas) | Chronic inflammation and cirrhosis (an RNA virus that does not integrate) |
| [Epstein–Barr virus](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/nasopharyngeal-carcinoma/) | Burkitt lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, lymphomas in immunosuppression | LMP1 mimics a growth signal (NF-κB); B-cell proliferation |
| [HHV-8 (KSHV)](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/kaposi-sarcoma/) | Kaposi sarcoma, primary effusion lymphoma | Viral cyclin and anti-apoptotic proteins; mostly with immunosuppression |
| [HTLV-1](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/non-hodgkin-lymphoma/) | Adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma | Tax protein activates host growth genes and NF-κB |
| [Merkel cell polyomavirus](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/merkel-cell-carcinoma/) | Merkel cell carcinoma | Viral T antigens inactivate RB |
| [Helicobacter pylori](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/gastric-cancer/) | Gastric adenocarcinoma and gastric MALT lymphoma | Chronic gastritis, atrophy, intestinal metaplasia; CagA |
| [Schistosoma haematobium](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/schistosomiasis/) | Squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder | Chronic inflammation around eggs in the bladder wall |
| [Liver flukes (Clonorchis, Opisthorchis)](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/cholangiocarcinoma/) | Cholangiocarcinoma | Chronic inflammation of the bile ducts |

## Clinical notes

- Colombia and Latin America: H. pylori infection is very common, and gastric cancer is a leading cause of cancer death, highest in the Andean regions.
- The Correa cascade (gastritis → atrophy → intestinal metaplasia → dysplasia → carcinoma) was described from studies in Nariño, Colombia.
- Cervical cancer is largely preventable: HPV vaccination before sexual debut and screening (HPV testing, cytology).
- Hepatitis B vaccination of newborns is cancer prevention; HTLV-1 is endemic in some areas, including the Colombian Pacific coast.

## Memory aid

HPV's E6 and E7 are two thieves: E6 steals the guard (p53) and E7 steals the brake (RB).

## Test yourself

Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.

## How do the HPV proteins E6 and E7 promote cancer?

E6 marks p53 for degradation and E7 binds RB, releasing E2F; the cell loses both its guardian and its cell-cycle brake.

## Which cancers are linked to Epstein–Barr virus?

Burkitt lymphoma, many Hodgkin lymphomas, nasopharyngeal carcinoma and lymphomas in immunosuppressed patients.

## Which tumour can regress after H. pylori eradication?

Early gastric MALT lymphoma.

## Which parasite is linked to squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder?

Schistosoma haematobium, through chronic inflammation around its eggs.

## How does HIV increase cancer risk if it is not itself oncogenic?

By depleting CD4 cells and weakening immune surveillance, so oncogenic viruses such as HHV-8, EBV and HPV act unchecked.

[Add to my cards (5)](https://durgical.app/estudiar/?add=/en/general-pathology/oncogenic-viruses-and-h-pylori-the-table-to-know/)

## Related

- [Tumour suppressor genes: RB, TP53, APC, BRCA and the two-hit hypothesis](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/tumour-suppressor-genes-rb-tp53-apc-brca-and-the-two-hit-hypothesis/)
- [Oncogenes: RAS, MYC, HER2, BCR-ABL and the table to know](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/oncogenes-ras-myc-her2-bcr-abl-and-the-table-to-know/)
- [Precancerous conditions: when chronic inflammation, metaplasia or hyperplasia raise the risk](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/precancerous-conditions-when-chronic-inflammation-metaplasia-or-hyperplasia-rais/)
- [Chronic inflammation: causes, cells and features](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/chronic-inflammation-causes-cells-and-features/)
- [Cancer epidemiology: age, environment, predisposing conditions (and Colombia)](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/cancer-epidemiology-age-environment-predisposing-conditions/)
- [How tumours evade the immune system](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/how-tumours-evade-the-immune-system/)
- [Dysplasia and carcinoma in situ](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/dysplasia-and-carcinoma-in-situ/)
- [Multistep carcinogenesis: the adenoma–carcinoma sequence](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/multistep-carcinogenesis-the-adenoma-carcinoma-sequence/)

## Related conditions

- [Cervical cancer](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/cervical-cancer/)
- [Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (cervical dysplasia)](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/cervical-intraepithelial-neoplasia/)
- [Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/human-papillomavirus-infection/)
- [Anal cancer](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/anal-cancer/)
- [Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (oral cavity and oropharynx, HPV)](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/head-and-neck-squamous-cell-carcinoma/)
- [Hepatocellular carcinoma](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/hepatocellular-carcinoma/)
- [Viral hepatitis](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/viral-hepatitis/)
- [Kaposi sarcoma](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/kaposi-sarcoma/)
- [Nasopharyngeal carcinoma](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/nasopharyngeal-carcinoma/)
- [Hodgkin lymphoma](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/hodgkin-lymphoma/)
- [Non-Hodgkin lymphoma](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/non-hodgkin-lymphoma/)
- [Gastric cancer](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/gastric-cancer/)
- [Helicobacter pylori gastritis](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/helicobacter-pylori-gastritis/)
- [Merkel cell carcinoma](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/merkel-cell-carcinoma/)
- [Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer)](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/cholangiocarcinoma/)
- [Schistosomiasis](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/schistosomiasis/)
- [Liver fluke infections (fascioliasis, clonorchiasis, opisthorchiasis)](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/liver-fluke-infections/)
- [HIV infection and AIDS](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/hiv-infection-and-aids/)
- [HTLV-1-associated myelopathy / tropical spastic paraparesis](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/htlv-1-associated-myelopathy-tropical-spastic-paraparesis/)

## Elsewhere in DurgiPedia

- [Oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes](https://durgical.com/en/biochemistry/topics/oncogenes-and-tumour-suppressor-genes/)
- [Tumor immunology and checkpoint inhibitors](https://durgical.com/en/immunology/tumor-immunology-and-checkpoint-inhibitors/)
- [Cervix and vagina: the transformation zone](https://durgical.com/en/histology/cervix-and-vagina-the-transformation-zone/)

## Microorganisms

- [Human papillomavirus](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/human-papillomavirus/)
- [Epstein–Barr virus](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/epstein-barr-virus/)
- [Hepatitis B virus](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/hepatitis-b-virus/)
- [Hepatitis C virus](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/hepatitis-c-virus/)
- [Human herpesvirus 8](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/human-herpesvirus-8/)
- [Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/human-t-lymphotropic-virus-type-1/)
- [Helicobacter pylori](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/helicobacter-pylori/)
- [Schistosoma mansoni / S. haematobium / S. japonicum](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/schistosoma-mansoni-s-haematobium-s-japonicum/)
- [Clonorchis sinensis / Opisthorchis spp.](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/clonorchis-sinensis-opisthorchis-spp/)
- [Human immunodeficiency virus](https://durgical.com/en/microbiology/human-immunodeficiency-virus/)

[← All of general pathology](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/)

Educational content on the mechanisms of disease; not a diagnostic or treatment guide and no substitute for a health professional's advice. No doses are given.

Sources: [Infectious Agents](https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/infectious-agents) (National Cancer Institute (NCI), 2026); [Human Papillomavirus](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448132/) (StatPearls (NCBI Bookshelf), 2024); [Helicobacter Pylori](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534233/) (StatPearls (NCBI Bookshelf), 2024); [Cancer](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer) (World Health Organization (WHO), 2026).

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Source: https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/oncogenic-viruses-and-h-pylori-the-table-to-know/
License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/oncogenic-viruses-and-h-pylori-the-table-to-know/