Inflammation Interacts with Carcinogens to Cause Cancer

Cancer-inflammation link found

A genetic link between cancer and inflammation has been discovered by researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine. Scientists had long suspected a relationship between cancer and inflammation caused by chronic infection, but did not have proof. The finding was published in the August 6, 2004 issue of the journal Cell...

Dr Karin commented, “We've shown how tumors arise from chronic infection and inflammation that act together with chemical carcinogens. In response to chronic infection, the interplay between immune cells and the epithelial cells of the intestinal tract, which become genetically transformed to give rise to malignant cells by the carcinogen, results in increased tumor growth and suppression of apoptosis, whose role is to reduce cancer incidence. Our studies show how NF-kB acts very early in the carcinogenesis process, in two different ways."