Chlamydia trachomatis. Co-factor or factor in cancer of the cervix?

Abstract

The objective of this article was to review and to analyze the possible role that Chlamydia trachomatis has as a co-factor in the origin and development of cervical cancer. For that purpose, the Latin-American and international bibliography was reviewed using the Pub-Med, Google Scholar, Springer, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Scielo, Imbiomed-L, Redalyc and Latindex databases. The searches included the key words: Chlamydia trachomatis, epidemiology of Chlamydia trachomatis, epidemiology of cervical cancer, Chlamydia trachomatis and infection, Chlamydia trachomatis and inflammation mechanisms, cervical cancer and co-factors, sexually transmitted infections and cervical cancer, cancer and inflammation mechanisms, carcinogenesis, inflammation mechanisms. Publications from 1970 to June 2020 were reviewed and analyzed. This review article analyzes the possible mechanisms that Chlamydia trachomatis could play in the carcinogenesis of the cervical cancer as a co-factor with the human papilloma virus or as an independent factor.