Some microbiologists think that a monkey virus is causing cancers in people by shuffling their genes around. This week, Urnovitz and his colleague Brian Durie, a clinical researcher at Cedars-Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center in Los Angeles, had a letter published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggesting that SV40, by means of one of its proteins, causes genetic changes in cells which set up the conditions for cancer. The two scientists believe that this virus fiddles with basic DNA to actually generate new genes. The key point in this theory is that SV40 initiates a complex, indirect process that leads finally to cancer.
Life processes are amazingly complex, interactive and dynamic.
In his weekly column, published Wednesdays, he looks at medical trouble spots, heralds innovative achievements and analyzes health trends that may greatly influence our lives. Y A monkey virus called SV40, found in 40 year-old polio vaccines, may change human DNA to make it more vulnerable to cancer. What's refreshing about Urnovitz is that his science calls us to reconsider how intricately we humans interact with our daily environments. ABC News Internet Ventures. Click here for Terms of Use and Privacy Policy applicable to this site.