Community | October 06, 2008 | 41 comments

Herpes linked to brain cancer

source: http://www.newser.com/story/39217/herpes-linked-to-brain-cancer.html

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goldenways
Cancer researchers are finally taking seriously a young surgeon’s decade-long hunch that brain tumors are linked to a strain of herpes that lies dormant in 80% of Americans. The physician speculated that brain cancer patients—many of them affluent and educated—were more vulnerable to common viruses such as the herpes CMV strain because of their "hyper-hygienic" lives, reports the San Francisco Chronicle.

"I stopped to think, If I was going to cause a brain tumor, what would I be? CMV made a lot of sense,” he said. The link has now been confirmed in at least three new studies, and CMV vaccine trials have begun for chemo patients. Several of them are tumor-free after two years, rare for a cancer that returns within months of treatment in 95% of cases.
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41 comments // Herpes linked to brain cancer

  • HerpesSingles
  • jehnavi
  • x_zapato
  • KatiePoo
  • jennaskarzenski
  • Gustolingo
  • XlntJoyce
  • Edge_Up
  • maras
    • 0
      maras  

    • CMV is not genital herpes, facial herpes or any kind of the herpes simplex family. There are several different herpes viruses including zoster, and mono as well as Epstein Barr. A family member of mine was recently diagnosed with this and after visiting with the hemotologist, several misconceptions were brought to light. Going in with my family, I knew this, but wanted to make sure. Search CMV or cytomegalovirus and you will find the info on your own. Herpes is a panic word and sensational at best. CDC has the best info and the link is below. Information is the best defense and if you think you will get brain cancer because of cold sores on your genitals, you need to use your critical thinking skills a bit more.

      What is Cytomegalovirus (CMV)?
      CMV is a common virus that infects most people at some time during their lives but rarely causes obvious illness. It is a member of the herpes virus family. Other members of the herpes virus family cause chickenpox, infectious mononucleosis, fever blisters (herpes I) and genital herpes (herpes II). Like other herpes viruses, CMV infection can become dormant for a while and may reactivate at a later time. The virus is carried by people and is not associated with food, water or animals.

      http://www.cdc.gov/cmv/

    • 3 years ago
  • rosyjane
    • 0
      rosyjane  
    • maras:

      Sometimes you do not understand how strong those viruses are.. there are plenty of viruses that are similar in herpes that can gain in the environment... if you can only see my blog that we study....

      Inter linkage to many disease is one source of the criterion in gaining that problem... virgin or not.

    • 3 years ago
  • HerpyHandcock
  • bags442
  • Found_Avenue
  • alustig
    • 0
      alustig  

    • hey wait a minute. Cell phone use is linked to brain cancer too. Could this mean that using a cell phone can give you herpes?

    • 3 years ago
  • newbeginnings
  • J_Jammer
    • 0
      J_Jammer [removed]  

    • Dr. House.

      On that show everything is linked to syphilis or so it seems.

      This is a cool fine. More clues to figuring out who has what based on smaller indications.

    • 3 years ago
  • ryanroe
  • rosyjane
    • 0
      rosyjane  

    • I hope that they won't mind about that issue because it also gave fungal infection... i mean, brain cancer can be cured using medicines for fungal infection.

      I have been in an accident riding in a tricycle and the tricycle gave a friction to another tricycle that gave me bruises when i am just a college student... that was 1995 to 1996.

      The accident affects my studies and it show after five months to five years.

      And now, i am here still alive and hoping some cure for my brain.

      I also do some field works in a farm that produces contamination to my body that also known as "pathogens".

      I hope i will help the community find a better cure that what i am doing because my illness is very complicated because when i am just a high school student, i almost gain Leukemia and for the result of the symptoms, i still have until now.

    • 3 years ago
  • XlntJoyce
  • rosyjane
  • jef_jef
  • redvelvet1278
  • jef_jef
    • 0
      jef_jef  
    • jef_jef:

      Well, I hope I'm wrong. But it seems way too simplistic. If 80% of people have this dormant herpes how high are the rates of brain tumors? The article severely lacked any kind of statistics and the way the other doctors responded and talked about it just didn't make it out to be too promising.

      Especially with the peer review, they apparently shut that theory down.

    • 3 years ago
  • kennyJ
    • 0
      kennyJ  
    • jef_jef:

      It might be debunked- but there is TREMENDOUS utility to having people misunderstand what is actually CAUSING brain cancer so they will take the VACCINE!

    • 3 years ago
  • skyking3525
  • rainbowryan420
  • abbym0308
  • kennyJ
    • 0
      kennyJ  
    • Image

    • Ummm...The herpes virus has been around 180 to 220 million years and suddenly they cause Brain Cancer?

      You have to be joking...

    • 3 years ago
  • abbym0308
    • 0
      abbym0308  
    • Image
    • kennyJ:

      They're not saying it's a direct cause, but rather there is a link. And the link is important because "tumor cells may simply be a fertile ground for growing the virus, as cells such as these often lack the normal immune functions that suppress CMV reproduction. But University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers reported in May that the virus has the ability to take over a cell’s braking mechanism and cause uncontrolled reproduction... Mitchell’s team has developed an experimental vaccine that triggers the immune system to attack CMV, thereby attacking its tumor tissue home."

      http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=does-herpes-cause-brain-cancer

    • 3 years ago
  • HolyCity2012
  • redvelvet1278
  • kennyJ
    • 0
      kennyJ  
    • kennyJ:

      "I stopped to think, If I was going to CAUSE a brain tumor, what would I be? CMV made a lot of sense,” he said. The link has now been confirmed in at least three new studies"

      Did I miss something? This is from the posted text(EMPHASIS ADDED)...

      A weakened immune system is an easier way to explain the connection IMO....

    • 3 years ago
  • anikhanj
    • 0
      anikhanj  

    • 50% of all YOUNG adults (mid twenties) have the herpes virus. By the time you are 50, you have a 90% chance of getting it. Only about 30% of people that have the virus actually show symptoms.

      Pretty significant story.

    • 3 years ago
  • kennymotown
  • neocongo
  • redvelvet1278
  • questionsanswers
  • neocongo
    • 0
      neocongo  

    • I suspect that there are a great many illnesses similarly caused by dormant or otherwise harmless viruses. If doctors and researchers could be persuaded to pursue this line of thinking instead of relying so much on pharmaceutical non-cures, we might find out.

    • 3 years ago
  • super_Che
    • 0
      super_Che  

    • wow, quite honestly shocked, i guess if you think about there are a lot less people with brain tumors than with herpes,though

    • 3 years ago
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