Ancient cancers and infection-induced oncogenesis

Analysis of Parents' Attitudes and Knowledge toward Immunization and How These Factors Influence Their Decisions to Vaccinate Their Children against Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)

Background and objectives: Vaccination hesitancy is a growing problem associated with decreasing chances for the elimination of vaccine-preventable diseases through immunization. This research was conducted to learn about parents' attitudes toward vaccination, particularly against HPV, in the context of their beliefs and fears regarding immunization and the impact of these views on their children's vaccination decisions. An additional goal was to determine what views or convictions most often lead to the phenomenon of delaying or refusing vaccinations, especially HPV vaccines, in the surveyed community. Materials and Methods: An online questionnaire was conducted in which parents marked how they vaccinated their children with mandatory vaccinations and whether they took the opportunity to protect their children with additional vaccinations, including HPV and COVID-19. Respondents also marked the extent to which they agreed with the statements, regarding the safety of vaccinations, doubts about them, as well as popular anti-vaccine myths. Results: A total of 250 questionnaires were collected with data on the immunization of 425 children. Associations between specific beliefs and vaccine abstention were established. The most motivating factor for vaccination against HPV was the parent's awareness that the virus HP is the cause of cancer. The most inhibiting factor was respondent's compliance with the opinion that HPV vaccines can affect the child's sexual activity. Conclusions: The results indicate that information campaigns are needed, especially focusing on vaccine safety and the regularity and transparency of monitoring adverse effects. The obtained results will be used to create educational interventions against vaccination hesitancy more adapted to local conditions.

Cancerogenic parasites in veterinary medicine: a narrative literature review

Parasite infection is one of the many environmental factors that can significantly contribute to carcinogenesis and is already known to be associated with a variety of malignancies in both human and veterinary medicine. However, the actual number of cancerogenic parasites and their relationship to tumor development is far from being fully understood, especially in veterinary medicine. Thus, the aim of this review is to investigate parasite-related cancers in domestic and wild animals and their burden in veterinary oncology. Spontaneous neoplasia with ascertained or putative parasite etiology in domestic and wild animals will be reviewed, and the multifarious mechanisms of protozoan and metazoan cancer induction will be discussed.

The ancient history of kissing

Sources from Mesopotamia contextualize the emergence of kissing and its role in disease transmission.

Increased risk of cancer in dogs and humans: a consequence of recent extension of lifespan beyond evolutionarily-determined limitations?

Cancer is among the most common causes of death for dogs (and cats) and humans in the developed world, even though it is uncommon in wildlife and other domestic animals. We provide a rationale for this observation based on recent advances in our understanding of the evolutionary basis of cancer. Over the course of evolutionary time, species have acquired and fine-tuned adaptive cancer protective mechanisms that are intrinsically related to their energy demands, reproductive strategies, and expected lifespan. These cancer protective mechanisms are general across species and/or specific to each species and their niche, and they do not seem to be limited in diversity. The evolutionarily acquired cancer-free longevity that defines a species' life history can explain why the relative cancer risk, rate, and incidence are largely similar across most species in the animal kingdom despite differences in body size and life expectancy. The molecular, cellular, and metabolic events that promote malignant transformation and cancerous growth can overcome these adaptive, species-specific protective mechanisms in a small proportion of individuals, while independently, some individuals in the population might achieve exceptional longevity. In dogs and humans, recent dramatic alterations in healthcare and social structures have allowed increasing numbers of individuals in both species to far exceed their species-adapted longevities (by 2-4 times) without allowing the time necessary for compensatory natural selection. In other words, the cancer protective mechanisms that restrain risk at comparable levels to other species for their adapted lifespan are incapable of providing cancer protection over this recent, drastic and widespread increase in longevity.

The prevalence of cancer in Britain before industrialization

BACKGROUND

To plan for cancer services in the future, the long view of cancer prevalence is essential. It might be suspected that cancer prevalence before tobacco and industrial revolution pollutants was quite different to today.

METHODS

To quantify the degree to which cancer prevalence may be changing over time, the authors analyzed 143 skeletons from 6 cemeteries from the Cambridge area (6th-16th centuries). Visual inspection coupled with screening using both plain radiographs and computed tomography scans was used to detect malignant lesions.

RESULTS

A total of 3.5% of individuals showed evidence for metastases. Factoring in modern data for the proportion of those with cancer that die with bone metastases, this suggests a minimum prevalence of all cancers at the time of death in medieval Britain to be approximately 9% to 14% of adults.

CONCLUSIONS

This figure compares with a 40% to 50% prevalence of cancer at the time of death for modern Britain. The difference may be explained by the effects of modern carcinogens, the spread of viruses that trigger malignancy, industrial pollutants, and longer life expectancy.

LAY SUMMARY

Until now, no one has been able to work out how common cancer was before the time people were exposed to tumor-inducing chemicals from tobacco and industrial factories. In this novel study, the authors have determined the percentage of people living in medieval Britain who had cancer metastases to bone at the time of their death and then compared that with modern data. It was found that cancer was approximately 25% as common in medieval times as it is today. This article suggests cancer was much more widespread in medieval times than was previously realized.

Cancers as rare diseases: Terminological, theoretical, and methodological biases

OBJECTIVE

Was cancer a rare disease in the past? Our objective is to consider the various terminological, theoretical, and methodological biases that may affect perceptions of the rarity of cancer in the past.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We discuss relevant malignant neoplastic biomedical and paleopathological literature and evaluate skeletal data. We selected 108 archaeological sites (n = 151 cancer cases) with published malignant neoplasms and that were amenable to calculating cancer crude prevalence. Furthermore, datasets from four medieval/postmedieval Portuguese and 12 postmedieval UK sites were used to compare age-adjusted rates for metastatic bone disease and tuberculosis.

RESULTS

In the literature review, mean cancer crude prevalence (1.2 %; 95 % CI = 0.96-1.4) exceeded the threshold for a rare disease (RD). Age-standardized rates of MBD and TB were not markedly different in the sites surveyed.

CONCLUSIONS

Methodological, theoretical and historical factors contribute to assumptions that cancers were rare diseases. The assumption that cancers are extremely rare in the paleopathological literature was not fully supported. Cancer is a heterogeneous concept, and it is important to view it as such. If a disease is considered rare, we may fail to recognize it or dismiss it as unimportant in the past.

SIGNIFICANCE

We present a re-evaluation of the idea that cancer is a rare disease. We present a more nuanced way of comparing rates of pathological conditions in archaeological contexts.

LIMITATIONS

Variation in the amount of useable information in published literature on malignant neoplasms.

SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

More large-scale studies of cancer in the past alongside comparative studies of cancer prevalence with other assumed rare diseases.

Genetic diversity, inbreeding and cancer

Genetic diversity is essential for adaptive capacities, providing organisms with the potential of successfully responding to intrinsic and extrinsic challenges. Although a clear reciprocal link between genetic diversity and resistance to parasites and pathogens has been established across taxa, the impact of loss of genetic diversity by inbreeding on the emergence and progression of non-communicable diseases, such as cancer, has been overlooked. Here we provide an overview of such associations and show that low genetic diversity and inbreeding associate with an increased risk of cancer in both humans and animals. Cancer being a multifaceted disease, loss of genetic diversity can directly (via accumulation of oncogenic homozygous mutations) and indirectly (via increased susceptibility to oncogenic pathogens) impact abnormal cell emergence and escape of immune surveillance. The observed link between reduced genetic diversity and cancer in wildlife may further imperil the long-term survival of numerous endangered species, highlighting the need to consider the impact of cancer in conservation biology. Finally, the somewhat incongruent data originating from human studies suggest that the association between genetic diversity and cancer development is multifactorial and may be tumour specific. Further studies are therefore crucial in order to elucidate the underpinnings of the interactions between genetic diversity, inbreeding and cancer.

Paleo-oncology: Taking stock and moving forward

This article serves as an introduction to the International Journal of Paleopathology's special issue, Paleo-oncology: Taking Stock and Moving Forward. Reflecting the goals of the special issue, this paper has been designed to provide an overview of the current state of paleo-oncology, to introduce new and innovative paleo-oncological research and ideas, and to serve as a catalyst for future discussions and progress. This paper begins with an overview of the paleo-oncological evidence that can be found in ancient remains, followed by a summary of significant paleo-oncological findings and methodological advances to date. Thereafter, challenges in estimating past prevalence of cancer are highlighted and recommendations are made for future advancements in paleo-oncological research. The ground-breaking studies included in the special issue and referenced throughout this introduction embody the many ways in which progress can be made in the field of paleo-oncology.