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Understanding If Cancer Is
Contagious
A Common Question With Uncommon Considerations
By Lisa Fayed Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD Updated on January 27, 2020

Cancer is not contagious in the conventional sense and is not considered an infectious or
communicable disease. Cancer itself cannot be transmitted from one person to another
(unlike some animals) by breathing the same air, sharing a toothbrush, touching, kissing, or
having sex. With a few rare exceptions (organ transplant recipients, mother to fetal
transmission, and a few rare events), the immune system will recognize any foreign cells
(including cancer cells from another person) and destroy them.

Some infections that can be transmitted (including some sexually transmitted diseases),
however, may increase the risk of developing cancer. In addition, cancer may run in families,
but instead of being transmitted, this risk is related to genetic traits (a genetic predisposition)
or common exposures that increase risk.

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FatCamera / Getty Images

Contagiousness and Cancer

Since cancer can be contagious in some species, wondering why it is not in humans is a
good question that can be looked at in a few different ways.

The first way to look at this is by visualizing what happens if a cancer cell from another
person were to enter our body (it would have to be directly transmitted since cancer cells
can't live outside the body). This is what former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez claimed
when he stated that his enemies gave him cancer.

In an unethical experiment conducted in the 1950s and 1960s, two New York researchers
actually did some experiments in which they injected cancer cells into healthy prisoners and
cancer patients (the recipients were not informed of this experiment) to see if he could
"cause" cancer. With only one exception, the recipient's immune system fought off the cancer
cells before they passed beyond the nodule stage.

Our immune cells see cancer cells from another person as they would see disease-causing
viruses or bacteria.

(In the study, the experiment was justified by the researchers who hoped to discover ways to
build an immunity to cancer, and was funded by the American Cancer Society and the U.S.
Public Health Service). In one other human experiment, melanoma cells were transferred
from a person to his mother to try to induce immunity to cancer, and the mother died from
melanoma.

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There are a few other very rare exceptions, for example, a 2015 report in The New England
Journal of Medicine describes how cancer cells from a tapeworm invaded a man's body
spreading to several lymph nodes and his lungs. While ordinarily, the immune system would
not allow this, the man was severely immunosuppressed due to HIV/AIDS. There have also
been rare cases in which cancer has been transmitted (via a needle poke or a cut on the
hand) to a lab worker and a surgeon (sarcoma). In these cases, however, while the cancer
cells grew locally where they entered the body, but they did not progress beyond the site of
entry.

The lack of contagiousness of cancer is also better understood when looking at how cancer
develops. Cancer cells arise after a series of mutations (in genes that control the growth of
the cell) lead to uncontrolled growth of the cell. Even when genetic damage occurs, the
human body has genes (such as tumor suppressor genes) that code for proteins designed to
either repair damaged DNA or eliminate damaged cells.

Further support for the lack of contagiousness is the lack of epidemics. In addition,
oncologists and other health professionals who are exposed to large numbers of people wit
cancer are not any more likely to develop the disease.

Further support for the lack of contagiousness is the lack of epidemics. In addition,
oncologists and other health professionals who are exposed to large numbers of people with
cancer are not any more likely to develop the disease.

Organ Transplants
As noted above, cancer cells from another person that enters our bodies are destroyed by
the immune system. As an exception to this general rule, there have been cases of cancer
being transmitted from one person to another via organ transplant, and it's thought that
transfusion-related cancer may occur in roughly 3 in 5,000 transplant recipients.

With organ transplants, there are two factors that contribute to this risk. One is that instead of
just a few cancer cells (such as with a needle stick) a large volume of tumor cells are
implanted in a person (from a mass in the transplanted organ). In addition, these people are
usually severely immunocompromised due to the medications used to prevent rejection.

There is no evidence that cancer has ever been transmitted via blood transfusion. Despite
this, there are limitations on when people with cancer can donate blood.

Mother to Child Transmission

There are a few reported cases of cancer transmission during pregnancy, and this may occur
in three ways.
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From the mother to the baby: While tumors may spread to the placenta, the placenta
usually prevents cancer cells from reaching the baby. The chance of cancer being
transmitted (1 in 1,000 pregnant women are thought to have cancer) is estimated at
only 0.000005 percent. Transmission is most common with leukemia/lymphomas and
melanoma.
Twin to twin transmission of leukemia: Again, transmission is very rare, but may occur
at times.

Choriocarcinoma: Choriocarcinoma is a rare tumor that arises in the placenta. The

tumor may spread to both the mother and the baby and is the only case of serial
transmission of cancer (from the placenta to the mother, and then from the mother to
recipients of organs donated by that mother).

Contagious Cancers in Other Species

Cancer has now been found to be transmitted among members of eight different species. It's
thought that the reason this may occur, unlike in humans, is due to a lack of genetic diversity
(genetic inbreeding) so that the cancer cells from another member of that species are not
recognized as abnormal. These include:

Dogs: Canine transmissible venereal tumor may be transmitted sexually or through

direct blood contact.
Tasmanian devils: Tasmanian devils facial tumor may be transmitted from one animal to
another by biting.

Bivalves: Leukemia may be transmitted in four different species of bivalves, possibly

through filter feeding.
Hamsters: There are also reports of transmission of reticulum cell sarcoma between
hamsters in older studies, as well as the possibility of mosquitoes being a vector in
transmission.

Infections Associated With Cancer

Some infections that can be passed from person to person are thought to lead to cancer. In
these cases, however, it's not cancer per se that is contagious, but rather the infection that
may or may not (and in most cases does not) lead to cancer.

Infections with these microorganisms are common, whereas the cancers that arise as a result
of the infections are not. In addition, most cancers are multifactorial in origin (have many
causes), and other factors such as exposure to carcinogens, immunosuppression, genetic
factors, lifestyle, and more may combine with the infection to induce cancer.

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Infections may lead to cancer in different ways. Some may cause inflammation that leads to
cancer (due to increased cell division of cells involved in repair), whereas others may cause
immunosuppression. Yet others may damage DNA (cause mutations) directly.

In the United States, it's thought that roughly 10 percent of cancers are related to infectious
diseases, though that number rises to around 25 percent worldwide.

Viruses associated with cancer include:

Human papillomavirus (HPV): HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease,
and has been linked with cervical cancer, anal cancer, penile cancer, vaginal cancer,
and head and neck cancers. In most cases, infection with HPV goes away on its own,
but when persistent, may lead to inflammation and cancer. Not all strains of HPV are
linked with cancer.

Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus: Both hepatitis B and C are associated with liver
cancer, and together are the greatest cause of liver cancer worldwide.
Epstein Barr virus (EBV): EBV is best known for being the cause of mononucleosis,
though it has been linked to several cancers as well. It's thought that it may play a role
in 40 percent to 50 percent of Hodgkin's lymphomas. While rare in the U.S., it is also
associated with Burkitt's lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, gastric
adenocarcinoma, and more. While 90 percent of people are thought to be infected, only
a relatively small number develop cancer.

HIV/AIDS: There are several types of cancer associated with HIV/AIDS, related to
immunosuppression.
Human herpesvirus Type 8 (HHV-8) or Kaposi sarcoma herpes virus most commonly
leads to Kaposi's sarcoma in people with HIV.

Human T-lymphotropic virus-1 (HTLV-1): HTLV-1 is associated with some leukemias

and lymphomas, but while infection is relatively common, cancers are not.

Merkel cell polyomavirus: The Merkel cell polyomavirus is very common worldwide, but
only rarely leads to a type of skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma.

Bacteria associated with cancer include:

H. pylori: H. pylori infection is associated with stomach cancer, as well as peptic ulcer
disease.

Parasites associated with cancer include:

Liver flukes: Two different liver flukes are linked with bile duct cancer and found
primarily in East Asia.
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Schistosomiasis: The worm that causes this disease is associated with bladder cancer.

In addition to these specific organisms, microorganisms on or in our bodies may be

associated with either an increased or decreased risk of cancer. For example, the
microbiome of the skin (normal bacteria that live on the skin) may be associated with the
development of skin cancer, and good gut bacteria may lower lymphoma risk.

Cancers That Run in Families

Genetics play a role in cancers that might seem to be contagious (they run in families), but
despite this clustering of cancers, the cancers are not directly passed from one person to
another.

Having a genetic predisposition to cancer does not mean that a person will get cancer.
Hereditary cancer accounts for roughly 10 percent of cancers overall (the influence of
genetics can vary by type). Many of the gene mutations associated with cancer (such as
BRCA mutations) occur in tumor suppressor genes. These genes code for proteins that
repair DNA that has been damaged, or instead eliminates the cell before it becomes a cancer
cell. In this case, having the mutated gene does not cause cancer, but interferes with the
body's ability to repair damaged cells that have been damaged by environmental exposures
and more.

Even without a genetic predisposition, cancer may appear to cluster in families. This may be
due to shared lifestyle habits (such as smoking or dietary habits), exposure to similar
carcinogens in the environment, such as radon exposure in the home. Cancers may also
occur due to exposure to viruses (such as hepatitis B) that is transmitted between family
members.

Intimacy for Those With Cancer

It's clear that cancer itself cannot be transmitted by touching, kissing, or sex, so (with the
exception of a few precautions) it's usually fine to be intimate, and intimacy is actually
advised.

Intimacy can not only help a friend or loved one better cope with their disease, but it can ea
any feelings of isolation a person may have during cancer therapy.

For those who have infections linked with cancer, as well as those living with cancer, a few
precautions are important.

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Precautions to Prevent Spread of Infections Associated With

Cancer
HPV can be transmitted sexually and hepatitis B and C, as well as HIV, can be transmitted
sexually as well as through contact with blood. Hepatitis B is spread much more easily than
HIV, and even sharing a toothbrush could lead to transmission.

Safe sex includes the use of condoms and more. Blood precautions are important with
hepatitis B, C, and HIV. With hepatitis B, immunization is the best way to prevent the disease.

Related: An Overview of Safe Sex Practices

Sexual Precautions During Cancer Treatment

For those going through chemotherapy, precautions may need to be made to protect both
partners.

People With Cancer:

Women who are receiving chemotherapy should use a condom, as becoming pregnant
with some chemotherapy drugs is associated with birth defects.
Oral, vaginal, and anal sex should be avoided if either partner has open sores.
If your white blood count is very low (chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia), sex
should be postponed until your white count is higher. Oncologists differ with the count
they consider too low, but an absolute neutrophil count of 500 or less is sometimes
used as a cutoff. The nadir period is the time when white blood cell counts are usually
the lowest.

Both partners should wash their hands (or use hand sanitizer) before sex, and genitals
should be washed before oral sex.
Women should urinate shortly after sex to reduce the risk of a bladder infection.
Water-based lubricants should be used to avoid abrasion and consequent infection risk.
Sex should also be avoided if your platelet count is low (chemotherapy-induced
thrombocytopenia), usually defined as a platelet count less than 50,000 due to the risk
of bleeding.

Certainly, you should avoid close contact with your partner if he or she is ill.

Loved Ones of Those With Cancer:

Chemotherapy drugs may be present in saliva, semen, and vaginal secretions. Your
loved one's oncologist may recommend avoiding sex shortly after a chemotherapy
infusion, but this can vary. Women who are or may be pregnant should talk to their
partner's oncologist about possible exposure and timing.

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With some types of radiation, such as internal radiation (brachytherapy) or radioactive

iodine treatment, your radiation oncologist may recommend avoiding close contact,
especially if you are pregnant.

Related: How to Lower Your Risk of Infection During Cancer Treatment

A Word From Verywell

Cancer is not contagious and you do and should not stay away from friends or loved ones
with cancer. In fact, offering your support and being near is more important than ever, and
some studies have even found that better social support is linked with improved survival.

If your loved one may have a virus associated with an infectious disease, learn about the
disease and any precautions you can take. You should also talk with your oncologist about
any risk to you or your partner related to intimacy during treatment.

Article Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts
within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our
content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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Additional Reading

Greaves, M., and W. Hughes. Cancer Cell Transmission via the Placenta. Evolution, Medicine
and Public Health. 2018. 2018(1):106-115.

Metzger, M., Villalba, A., Carballal, M. et al. Widespread Transmission of Independent Cancer
Lineages Within Multiple Bivalve Species. Nature. 2016. 534:705-709.

Muehlenbachs, A., Bhatnagar, J., Agudelo, C. et al. Malignant Transformation of Hymenolepis

nana in a Human Host. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2015. 373:1845-1852.

Mulford, R. Experimentation on Human Beings. Stanford Law Review. 1967. 20(1):99-117.

Ostrander, E., Davis, B., and C. Ostrander. Transmissible Tumors: Breaking the Cancer
Paradigm. Trends in Genetics. 2016. 32(1):1-15.

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Zhang, S., Yuan, J., Li, W., and Y. Qifa. Organ Transplantation from Donors (Cadaveric or Living)
with a History of Malignancy: Review of the Literature. Transplantation Reviews. 2014. 28(4):169-
175.

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