Scientists Find New Path to Cut Africa's Cancer Risk

Scientists at Wits University have discovered a powerful shortcut in the fight against cancer: stop the infections that cause it in the first place.

Cancer cases in sub-Saharan Africa are expected to double by 2040, but researchers believe many of these cancers could be prevented by tackling everyday infections. Dr. Rebecca van Dorsten and her team have created a "microbial watchlist" of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites that increase cancer risk years after infection.

The breakthrough lies in connecting the dots between common African infections and cancer development. For example, typhoid fever can lead to chronic infection in the gallbladder, potentially triggering cancer decades later. Similarly, a parasite that causes urinary schistosomiasis, widespread across southern Africa, is already confirmed to cause bladder cancer.

The Epstein-Barr virus, which most African children encounter, has long been linked to Burkitt lymphoma. Cytomegalovirus, carried by most adults in sub-Saharan Africa, shows up in some breast cancer and brain tumor tissues. Even a common mouth bacterium called Fusobacterium nucleatum appears connected to rising colorectal cancer rates in African cities.

Perhaps most concerning are fungal toxins. Aspergillus fungi thrive in hot, humid storage conditions and contaminate staple crops like maize and groundnuts. These fungi produce aflatoxin, one of nature's most powerful cancer-causing substances and a major driver of liver cancer in West and East Africa.

The good news? All of these risks can be addressed with tools that already exist. Vaccines, better food storage, antimicrobial treatments, and parasite control programs cost far less than advanced cancer therapies.

The Ripple Effect

This research represents a fundamental shift in cancer prevention strategy. Instead of waiting for tumors to develop, health authorities can intervene years earlier by targeting the infections that set cancer in motion.

The approach mirrors the success story of cervical cancer prevention. Human papillomavirus vaccines now prevent nearly all cervical cancers, something that seemed impossible just decades ago. Professor Robert Breiman notes that eliminating cervical cancer as a major health problem is now within reach.

Van Dorsten emphasizes that African cancer research needs African data. Local infections, environmental exposures, and immune system patterns create unique cancer risks that can't be understood by studying populations elsewhere.

Wits-IDORI is now prioritizing research to uncover more links between infections and cancer in African populations. Each discovery opens new possibilities for affordable, early intervention that could prevent thousands of cancers before they begin.

The researchers believe many more microbial links to cancer remain unidentified in African communities. Finding them could unlock a wave of simple, cost-effective prevention strategies for a continent where cancer treatment remains out of reach for most people.

This research offers something rare in oncology: hope that arrives before diagnosis.