Abstract
Retroviruses are relevant to oncologists in three distinct ways. First, human retroviruses as infectious pathogens lead to the development of cancer. Neoplasia may result from the direct infection and transformation of the precursor tumor cell by the retrovirus, as is evident in adult T-cell leukemia caused by the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) (see Chapter 12). Neoplasia may also develop as an indirect consequence of retrovirus infection, as seen in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) following infection by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In this case, the retroviral genome does not infect or persist in the tumor cells; rather immunodeficiency allows cells infected by oncogenic herpesviruses to proliferate as “opportunistic neoplasms” analogous to opportunistic infections. Secreted retroviral proteins, such as Tat, might also play a role in HIV oncogenesis.
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