Professor Marina Sekachyova named three infections associated with an increased risk of cancer: human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B virus, and the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. According to her, vaccination against HPV may reduce the likelihood of cervical cancer by 90%; hepatitis B is linked to liver cancer, while Helicobacter pylori is linked to stomach cancer.
HPV and the risk of cervical cancer
HPV is the example Sekachyova discussed in the greatest detail. The infection is linked to cervical cancer, as well as to several other diseases. The professor noted that vaccination against the virus can reduce the likelihood of related tumors.
The stated estimate is a 90% reduction in the risk of cervical cancer in the absence of this viral infection. This specific claim concerns this type of cancer only; it does not mean that vaccination eliminates the risk of all cancers or replaces preventive screening.
Hepatitis B and liver cancer
The second virus named was hepatitis B: Sekachyova linked it to an increased risk of liver cancer. The original report provides neither a quantitative estimate of this risk nor details on how it varies depending on circumstances, so no precise percentage can be given here.
The professor stressed separately that the term “contagious” applies only to certain types of cancer linked to infections. This is not about cancer being transmitted from person to person as a general disease, but about some tumors being associated with specific infectious agents—in this case, the hepatitis B virus.
Helicobacter pylori and stomach cancer
The third infection on the list is the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. The materials provided identify it as a cause of stomach cancer; they give no separate numerical estimate of the risk or the proportion of cases associated with it. This claim should therefore not be expanded into a conclusion that the infection inevitably causes a tumor in every person.
Sekachyova’s three examples involve different pathogens and organs: HPV and cervical cancer, hepatitis B and liver cancer, and Helicobacter pylori and stomach cancer. This specificity matters: a general discussion of infections does not imply that every type of disease has the same mechanism or level of risk.
Other risk factors and prevention
Sekachyova also listed risk factors unrelated to infections: obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and regularly eating large amounts of red and processed meat. The original report provides no numerical estimates for these factors, so their risk levels cannot be compared with those associated with the infections named.
As a general approach, the professor cited reducing these risk factors, vaccination, and preventive screening. However, the materials provided do not specify particular vaccination schedules, screening intervals, or recommendations for specific groups; they describe general approaches and do not replace an individual consultation with a doctor.
What the statement actually says
The main quantitative benchmark in the report concerns HPV: vaccination against the infection may reduce the likelihood of cervical cancer by 90%. Hepatitis B and Helicobacter pylori are linked to liver and stomach cancer, respectively, but no numerical estimates are provided. All three examples show why infection prevention is considered part of reducing cancer risks.
Sekachyova’s statement does not claim that every infection causes cancer or that infection inevitably leads to disease. It identifies specific links and adds a recommendation to consider vaccination, preventive screening, and modifiable risk factors.
Bottom line: Sekachyova named HPV, hepatitis B, and Helicobacter pylori; for HPV, she separately noted that vaccination may reduce the risk of cervical cancer by 90%.
Sources
- doctor.rambler.ru — “Doctor names an unexpected source of cancer”
- kp.ru — “Can you catch cancer? Professor gives an answer”
- expert on the main factors — “Cancer: Myths and Reality”
- gazeta.ru — “Professor names types of cancer that can be”
- nop2030.ru — “The concept of ‘new oncology’ at Sechenov University — National Oncology Program — 2030”
