What an oncovirus is
An oncovirus (or oncogenic virus) is a virus capable of inducing or contributing to the development of cancer in the cells it infects, usually by altering the normal cell cycle or interfering with the mechanisms that control cell growth. Not every infected person develops cancer: other factors (genetic, environmental, immune) also play a role.
Human oncoviruses recognized by IARC-WHO
HPV (human papillomavirus)
Cervical, anal, penile and oropharyngeal cancer
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
Burkitt lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, some lymphomas and gastric cancers
Hepatitis B and C viruses
Liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma)
HTLV-1
Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma
Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (HHV-8)
Kaposi sarcoma
Why it matters to know them
Early detection of the infection, vaccination (when available, as with HPV) and proper medical follow-up can significantly reduce the risk of a viral infection progressing to cancer.