Association between Cysticercosis and Neoplasia: A Study Based on Autopsy Findings

Abstract

Chronic infections including the cysticercosis induce inflammatory cells to produce free radicals and synthesize carcinogenic toxins. The cells with genetic mutations proliferate in a disorganized manner, leading to the development of neoplasia. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the relation between cysticercosis and neoplasia. Patients autopsied were divided into 4 groups: patients with neoplasia and cysticercosis (NC), patients with neoplasia only (NN), patients with cysticercosis only (CC), and patients without neoplasia or cysticercosis (WW). Of 2012 autopsy reports analyzed, 0.4 showed NC. In groups CC and NC, the most common location of the parasite was the brain. There was a predominance of three or more cysticerci in groups NC and CC. In the NC group, all had malignant neoplasms, and was predominance of benign neoplasm in NN group. The digestive system was the most frequent neoplasia. By calculating odds ratio, rate of neoplasia in patients with cysticercosis was 0.74. In conclusion, the demographic profile of patients with cysticercosis and neoplasia is similar to that of patients with cysticercosis alone. The incidence of cysticercosis and neoplasia was greater in older patients suggesting that immunosenescence may contribute to development of neoplasia promoted by cysticercosis.

Potential role of parasitosis in tumorigenesis: Case study of heart metastasis as the only presenting symptom of an ileal neuroendocrine tumor

“…One study also showed its role in the cardiac dissemination of Chagas disease, a disease linked to Trypanosoma cruzi. Nevertheless, these hypotheses have never been confirmed, even if recent data suggest that a CD20 homolog expressed by tumor-associated macrophages and enhancing tumo-growth could be induced by parasite infection [23,24]. The specific role of taeniasis was studied by Del Brutto et al who observed that 16.8% of patients with a glioma were infected by a neurocysticercosis, which is the larval stage of T. solium [21].…”