Role of Fungal Infections in Carcinogenesis and Cancer Development; A Literature Review

Cancer is a serious debilitating disease and one of the most common causes of death. In recentdecades the high risk of various cancers enforced scientists to discover novel prevention andtreatment methods to diminish the mortality of this terrifying disease. Accordingly, its preventioncan be possible in near future. Based on epidemiological evidence, there is a clear link betweenpathogenic fungal infections and cancer development. This association is often seen in peoplewith weakened immune systems such as the elderly and people with acquired immunodeficiency(AIDS). Carcinoma in these people is first seen chronically and then acutely. Although thedifferent genetic and environmental risk factors are involved in carcinogenesis, one of the mostimportant risk factors is fungal species and infections associating with cancers etiology. Now itis known that microbial infection is responsible for initiating 2.2 million new cancer cases. Inthis way, many recent studies have focused on investigating the role and mechanism of fungalinfections in diverse cancers occurrence. This review provides a comprehensive frameworkof the latest clinical findings and the association of fungal infections with versatile cancersincluding esophageal, gastric, colorectal, lung, cervical, skin, and ovarian cancer.