Cancer can develop from chronic infection with immortal bacteria, plus time, plus triggering events. Triggering events may be co-infections with viruses, parasites, and/or other bacteria; depletion of folic acid and/or vitamin D; environmental carcinogens; alcohol abuse; or use of tobacco.
Cells infected with immortal bacteria inside the tumor, in adjacent cells, and in immune cells, are weak replicas of normal cells, which continue to increase angiogenesis and TNF-alpha, and decrease apoptosis, which fosters the growth and spread of the tumor.
Cancer is the end-stage of an immortal intracellular infection, and the ongoing war between the immortal pathogens and the immune system.