I read about some researchers finding a virus in some mens’ prostate cancers:

The virus, closely related to one previously found only in mice, was found in cancerous prostates removed from men with a certain genetic defect. The findings open new avenues for studying the most common major cancer among men in the United States.

While we assume that cancer is a genetic aberration, the constant dividing mechanism gone wild, could a virus be “helping” that genetic switching to activate? The study however, does stress that no direct link between the virus and the cancer has yet been found but “they are nonetheless excited about prospects for future research”.

Admittedly this is prostate cancer only, this hasn’t been tested or found in all the other kinds of cancer. But still, it is an interesting development for two reason:

  1. Many years ago people thought that stomach ulcers were caused by stress; it was found that a bacteria, Helicobacter pylori, is responsible for the vast majority of these ulcers;
  2. Could we develop a type of antibiotic that disables/kills the bacteria, to make current methods of cancer destruction more effective?

I’m a few years away from having my prostate checked, maybe I should start, but still it’s an interesting development that is for sure.