PHILADELPHIA (Dec. 5, 2007) — Cancer—popularly understood as a result of mutations or mistakes within the genetic code in cells—is also caused by infections from viruses, bacteria and parasites."I believe that, conservatively, 15 to 20 percent of all cancer is caused by infections, however, the number could be larger—maybe double,” says Dr. Andrew J. Dannenberg, director of the Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center and Henry R. Erle, M.D.–Roberts Family Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City.
