Lancet Oncology publication: WHO international virus assessment – our research contributes!
In June 2025, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a WHO organisation, assessed the carcinogenic effect of three viruses in its new monograph 139: the hepatitis D virus, the Merkel cell polyomavirus and, for the first time, the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV).
Professor Dr Martin Michaelis, Head of the Interdisciplinary Laboratory for Paediatric Tumour and Virus Research (IDL) at our foundation, who was involved in the preparation of the monograph as an expert and section head, is jointly responsible for this assessment. A summary was published in the international journal The Lancet Oncology.
The classification of human cytomegalovirus as possibly carcinogenic in humans (group 2B) is particularly significant for paediatric cancer research – based on limited evidence that HCMV could contribute to the development of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). This finding emphasises the relevance of further research into the biological mechanisms behind childhood carcinogenesis.
All information on the IARC study, infographic & Q&A:
Link: Article in Science Direct
Download (PDF): Questions & Answers
Image source: International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), World Health Organization. Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGO. iarc.who.int
