Can Bovine Leukemia Virus Be Related to Human Breast Cancer? A Review of the Evidence

DOLCINI, GUILLERMINA LAURA; MARTINEZ CUESTA, LUCIA; NIETO FARIAS, MARIA VICTORIA; NIETO FARIAS, MARIA VICTORIA; CERIANI, MARIA CAROLINA; LENDEZ, PAMELA ANAHI; CERIANI, MARIA CAROLINA; LENDEZ, PAMELA ANAHI; DOLCINI, GUILLERMINA LAURA; MARTINEZ CUESTA, LUCIA

JOURNAL OF MAMMARY GLAND BIOLOGY AND NEOPLASIA

SPRINGER/PLENUM PUBLISHERS

Año: 2018 p. 1 - 7

1083-3021

The incidence of breast cancer is continuously increasing worldwide, as influenced by many factors that act synergistically. In the last decade there was an increasing interest in the possible viral etiology of human breast cancer. Since then, many viruses have been associated with this disease (murine mammary tumor virus, MMTV; Epstein-Barr virus, EBV; and human papillomavirus, HPV). Recently, BLV has been identified in human breast cancers giving rise to the hypothesis that it could be one of the causative agents of this condition. BLV is a retrovirus distributed worldwide that affects cattle, causing lymphosarcoma in a small proportion of infected animals. Because of its similarity with human retroviruses like HTLV and HIV, BLV was assumed to also be involved in tumor emergence. Based on this assumption, studies were focused on the possible role of BLV in human breast cancer development. We present a compilation of the current knowledge on the subject and some prospective analysis that is required to fully end this controversy.