Tulane Researcher Explores Cancer-Causing Virus

Newswise — Scientists estimate that 30 percent to 40 percent of cancers are caused by viruses, and as research continues, this percentage will likely climb. Erik Flemington, associate professor of pathology at Tulane University School of Medicine, and his team of researchers are exploring one of these " the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). More than 90 percent of us live our lives day to day playing host to a latent form of EBV without even knowing it. In most of us, this virus is inactive and unnoticeable; however, in some others, it has been linked to the development of a number of diseases, including several cancers. Flemington and his team are trying to better understand the mechanisms by which EBV promotes tumor growth and how to eradicate EBV-associated tumors.