Handbook of Tumor Viruses

Tumor viruses are members of six distinct families of animal viruses. They have the potential to cause cancer in animals and humans. Viruses which belong to five of the six families of tumor viruses have DNA genomes and are therefore called DNA tumor viruses. Retroviruses belong to the sixth family of tumor viruses that have RNA genomes in virus particles. These viruses replicate in infected cells through the synthesis of a DNA provirus. The viruses that cause cancers in humans are papillomaviruses which causes anogenital and cervical cancers, Epstein-Barr virus which causes nasopharyngeal carcinoma and Burkitt's lymphoma, and Kaposi's sarcoma related herpesvirus. The genomes of tumor viruses are small in size, which facilitate identification of genes inducing cancer and enhance the understanding of cancer on the molecular level. This book is a compilation of chapters that discuss the most vital and emerging trends in the study of tumor viruses. It will serve as a reference to a broad spectrum of readers.