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Some animal studies have indicated that viruses may be involved in carcinogenesis. Certain leukemialike diseases in chickens, cats, and inbred strains of mice can be induced in young animals by innoculating them with viruses isolated from leukemic animals. There is already some evidence linking the Epstein-Barr virus, perhaps one of the most common of all viruses, to two types of cancer, a carcinoma and a lymphoma. Another DNA virus group, the herpes virus, has been shown to have oncogenic potential, causing many types of cancers. The papilloma virus is the cause of cervical carcinoma. Among the RNA viruses and retroviruses, evidence is accumulating that links these viruses to breast cancer as well as leukemias, lipomas, fibrosarcomas, and osteosarcomas.
Two cancer theories propose the involvement of oncoviruses. One infers that exogenous vital infection occurs and that reverse transcriptase (reversing the genetic pathway code between PNA and DNA) is required to integrate the viral genome into the host genome. The other considers that oncogenes, some of which may represent proviruses, are inherited through endogenous genes that are acquired at birth and require only minimal mutation for expression. 6
Factors That Can Induce and/or Promote Cancer
Cancer can be promoted by many factors, including toxic environment, devitalized processed and artificial food, high blood sugar, retroviruses, suppressed emotions, and stress. These conditions can also suppress the immune system, thereby inhibiting the action of immune cells responsible for attacking abnormally mutated cells. When a cell divides, the DNA of that cell is exposed to a reactive environment, and the possibility of genetic alterations is increased. Some of the more significant factors in the induction and promotion of cancer are:
Diet
A poor diet fails to provide proper nutrients for optimum cellular nourishment. It has been shown that up to 70 percent of all cancers are related to diets that are high in animal fat, low in fiber, and lacking in sufficient fruits and vegetables. Moreover, refined and processed foods have been stripped of the nutrients and enzymes that protect against cancer.

 
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