Association between the Presence of CMV, BKV and JC Virus and Ovarian Cancer in Fars Province, Southwestern Iran

 Evidence linking the BK virus (BKV), John Cunningham virus (JCV), and Cytomegalovirus (CMV) to ovarian cancer is inconclusive. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the association of BKV, JCV, and CMV in malignant, borderline, benign, and normal ovarian tissues to shed light on the potential role of viral infections in the process of ovarian carcinogenesis.

 Paraffin-embedded ovarian tissues of 205 patients and 45 normal controls were included in this case-control study conducted from January 2015 to January 2020. The patient group was divided into three subgroups: malignant, borderline, and benign. Amplifying the β-globin gene was conducted to confirm the quality of the DNA extracted. Real-time PCR was used to identify BKV, JCV, and CMV genomes in all specimens.

The mean age of the patients and the control group was 44.0 ± 11.4 and 34.2 ± 12.1 years old, respectively. One, two, and three malignant lesions were positive for the presence of BKV, JCV, and CMV, respectively. These viruses were not detected in any borderline, benign, or control lesions.

 The results of this study indicated no association between CMV, BKV, and JCV with ovarian cancer. Therefore, major studies are recommended to confirm these findings.