Involvement of the Polyomavirus, JCV, in Colorectal Cancer

This chapter focuses on the possible role of the polyomavirus JC in the development of colorectal cancer. Based on recent findings from several international groups, there is increased evidence that JC virus might contribute to the developmet of colorectal cancer displaying chromosomal instability, which represent the majority of cases. The possibility that an oncogenic virus, JC virus, because of its ability to produce an oncoprotein named T antigen, is intriguing thus needing further cause-relationship association. However, both in vitro and in vivo data are now pointing to the direction that the virus might have a critical role.