In 2007, Dr. Andrew Dannenberg, Director of the Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medical Center, said infections cause many cancers; and the magnitude of the link between cancer and chronic infection is grossly underappreciated. He said viruses, bacteria, and parasites trigger tumor development; and believed effectively treating infections has the side benefit of “preventing tumor development”. Dr. Dannenberg identified hepatitis B and C (liver cancer), HPV (cervical, throat and oral tumors), EBV (Burkitt’s lymphoma), H-pylori (gastric cancer and MALT lymphoma), and schistosome parasites (bladder cancer), as infectious causes of cancer.

Eleven years after Dr. Dannenberg’s insight, cancer research into chronic infection still lags behind. The diagnosis and treatment of immortal bacteria and parasites has not been incorporated into oncology practice or medical practice.