HWN Suggests

Nearly All of Us Have a Virus that Causes Cancer

There's a virus that the vast majority of adults have, that's been around for more than half a century, that lies dormant in our systems—and then, for a minority of people, triggers the development of cancer. Last week, an international team of researchers identified a gene mutation that might cause susceptibility for this last unlucky turn of events. While the virus, called Epstein-Barr (EBV), was discovered more than half a century ago, researchers are only now making progress in understanding it—and beginning to make strides towards stopping the pathogen that causes an estimated 143,000 cancer deaths every year.

The EBV-cancer connection was discovered in 1958 by a surgeon named…

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 Antibody blocks Epstein-Barr virus in preclinical trial

Epstein-Barr virus, a common microbe that has its fingerprints on a range of deadly cancers in Asia and Africa, often gets a pass from disease researchers in the United States, who know it primarily as the cause of infectious mononucleosis, or mono — “the kissing disease.” But for years, EBV has been a target of Dr. Andrew McGuire and his team at Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. In 2017, they announced the discovery of an antibody, dubbed AMMO1, isolated from the blood of infected humans. In laboratory cell cultures, this tiny immune protein blocked the virus, which is also known as human herpesvirus 4, or HHV-4.

 Study confirms effective, less toxic alternative to standard treatment for adults with Burkitt lymphoma

In a new study, an alternative treatment regimen that is less toxic than standard dose-intensive chemotherapy was found to be highly effective for adults with Burkitt lymphoma across all age groups and independent of HIV status.

Articles of Interest

Burkitt’s Lymphoma: What You Need to Know

Burkitt’s lymphoma is a type of blood cancer, considered rare and particularly aggressive. Lymphomas are developed due to an abnormal reproduction and enlargement of the white blood cells called lymphocytes and they can be classified as Hodgkin’s or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Burkitt’s lymphoma is a non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma originated in the B-cells. It can turn rapidly fatal if untreated in a timely manner. The disease is named after Denis Burkitt, a British surgeon who was the first to identify the disease in African children.

How To Bring Cancer Care To The World's Poorest Children

Bhakta says some of the most compelling evidence for the cost-effectiveness of care in poor countries comes from Uganda, where in March, researchers reported remarkably low costs of treating Burkitt's lymphoma, or BL. The most common childhood cancer in sub-Saharan Africa, BL is rapidly fatal, often within weeks. Yet when treated promptly, intensively and with supportive care, more than 90% of children survive the disease.

Sticky plant sap linked to African child cancer

Sticky plant sap may cause the most common deadly cancer affecting children in sub-Saharan Africa, researchers have discovered. White sap from the African milkbush is used by children as a gooey toy or as glue in their schoolbooks, while adults use it to make herbal remedies.

Study shows who survives Burkitt lymphoma

Treatment advances have helped improve survival of Burkitt lymphoma, a highly aggressive cancer, but not among the elderly, patients at a late stage, or black people. A new study uses those findings to develop a risk score that will help doctors, patients, families and researchers better understand prognosis.

Study Suggests New Approaches to Burkitt Lymphoma

A new study revealed insights into how Burkitt lymphoma differs from other lymphomas. The researchers identified several cancer-related genes and pathways that could serve as targets for future treatments. Non-Hodgkin lymphomas are cancers that arise from white blood cells. The disease originates in B cells, which are antibody-producing cells that protect the body against bacteria and viruses. Burkitt lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) are 2 different types of aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma that require different treatments.

Resources

Burkitt's Lymphoma Society

We are a support and advocacy non-profit organization for Burkitt's Lymphoma patients and caregivers.

Lymphoma Research Foundation

Burkitt lymphoma is a rare but highly aggressive (fast-growing) B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). This disease may affect the jaw, central nervous system, bowel, kidneys, ovaries, or other organs. Burkitt lymphoma may spread to the central nervous system (CNS).

ScieceDirect

Burkitt lymphoma is an aggressive cancer of B lymphocytes. It can manifest itself as a leukemia, involving primarily blood and bone marrow; as lymphoma, involving tissue sites; or both. In sub-Saharan Africa, Burkitt lymphoma is a disease of children and is an infection by Epstein–Barr virus, probably in conjunction with malaria. In other parts of the world, there is no such association, although it is a lymphoma that is more common in the setting of human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection.

StatPearl

Burkitt lymphoma accounts for approximately 1% to 5% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas.[2] BL is more common in Caucasians than persons of African or Asian descent.