A new study published today in Science Advances shows that the BK virus, which many people get infected with during childhood, can drive the development of bladder cancer down the line. This discovery could offer new avenues for bladder cancer prevention and help kidney transplant recipients, who have a higher risk of experiencing severe complications from this infection.

“Our results have shown that in the bladder, the tissue’s defensive response to the virus causes DNA changes which can lead to cancer,” said Simon Baker, PhD, Kidney Research UK fellow at the University of York. “This is a major shift in our thinking about the origins of bladder cancers.”

The BK virus, also known as human polyomavirus 1, is estimated to infect up to 80% of the population, typically causing no sy

See Full Page