Common childhood virus linked to bladder cancer later in life

By Admin

05 Dec, 2025

A groundbreaking study has uncovered a surprising connection between a common childhood virus and the development of bladder cancer later in life. The research, funded by Kidney Research UK and York Against Cancer, suggests that tackling the BK virus a virus most people contract in early childhood could open the door to preventing one of the world’s most prevalent urinary cancers.

A Childhood Virus With Long-Term Impact

The study, published in Science Advances by Dr. Simon Baker and his team at the University of York, reveals how BK virus, which usually lies dormant in the kidneys after childhood infection, can trigger DNA damage linked to bladder cancer.

In laboratory studies using human urothelium (the tissue lining the urinary tract), researchers observed DNA damage patterns caused by the body’s antiviral defenses. When exposed to BK virus, the enzymes meant to destroy the virus inadvertently inflicted “friendly fire” on the cell’s own DNA. Over time, these mutations may pave the way for bladder cancer.

Dr. Baker explained, “In other types of virus-related cancer, such as cervical cancer, we know that virus DNA combines with our own genetic material to drive tumor development. Our results have shown that in the bladder, the tissue’s defensive response to the virus causes DNA changes which can lead to cancer.”

Damage Beyond Infected Cells

One of the most surprising findings was that even neighboring “bystander cells” sustained DNA damage despite not being infected themselves. This discovery helps explain why most bladder cancers show no trace of the virus by the time they are diagnosed years later.

Why BK Virus Matters for Transplant Patients

While BK virus is harmless in most people, it poses a serious threat to kidney transplant recipients. Immunosuppressants, essential for preventing organ rejection, can reactivate the virus, causing damage to the kidneys, ureter, and bladder.

For patients like 51-year-old Tim Tavender from Southampton, this research is deeply personal. After receiving a kidney transplant in 2015, Tim developed a BK virus infection and later, bladder cancer.

“It was a terrifying experience,” Tim recalled. “BK virus made me feel constantly unwell, and adjusting my immunosuppressants felt like walking a medical tightrope. Then, in 2021, I noticed blood in my urine. That doctor’s visit probably saved my life.”

Tim underwent a 13-hour surgery to remove his bladder. Though challenging, he is now cancer-free and hopeful that research like Dr. Baker’s will help protect others. “If scientists can find new ways to control BK virus, it could spare people from what I went through and that would be life-changing.”

A New Pathway for Bladder Cancer Prevention

Until now, bladder cancer prevention strategies have largely centered around smoking cessation. This new research introduces an entirely different angle: identifying and controlling BK virus early in life.

Dr. Baker noted, “This is a major shift in our understanding of bladder cancer origins. Because kidney transplant recipients are affected by BK virus and are over three times more likely to develop bladder cancer, we suspected a link but we didn’t know how.”

The study now shows how BK virus may contribute to bladder cancer in both transplant patients and the general population, even when tumors show no viral footprint.

Moving Toward Breakthrough Solutions

With support from Kidney Research UK and York Against Cancer, Dr. Baker’s lab is already developing new strategies to control BK virus. The potential impact is enormous reducing bladder cancer risk and protecting transplanted kidneys simultaneously.

Dr. David Crosby, chief research officer at Kidney Research UK, highlighted the significance:
“These findings move us closer to understanding why some people develop bladder cancer and show how tackling BK virus early could one day stop these cancers from developing at all. For transplant patients, that could mean protecting both their kidney and long-term health.”

Professor Stephen Leveson of York Against Cancer added, “There has been a historic lack of investment in bladder cancer research. This new evidence implicating BK virus is very important and offers a potential way forward for diagnosis and treatment.”

A Hopeful Future

The discovery that a common childhood virus could influence cancer risk decades later is reshaping scientific understanding and offering a powerful new avenue for prevention. As research continues, the goal is clear: protect kidneys, prevent bladder cancer, and transform the future for thousands of patients.