Abstract: Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death worldwide. Tobacco smoking is the most predominant etiology for lung cancer. However, only a small percentage of heavy smokers develop lung cancer, which suggests that other cofactors are required for lung carcinogenesis. Viruses have been central to modern cancer research and provide profound insights into cancer causes. Nevertheless, the role of virus in lung cancer is still unclear. In this article, we reviewed the possible oncogenic viruses associated with lung cancer.
Keywords: oncogenic virus, lung cancer, human papillomavirus, Merkel cell polyomavirus, Epstein–Barr virus, jaagsiekte sheep virus, John Cunningham virus