Cytomegalovirus and Prostate Cancer: Dispelling a Causal Relationship.

Background:Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common herpesvirus detected in prostate tissue with potential oncogenic properties. The hypothesis that CMV infection increases prostate cancer risk has been debated for decades, yet consistent evidence remains elusive.Material and methods:We conducted a systematic review and re-analyzed data from the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (Sutcliffe et al., 2012; n=1,230) and a large transplant cohort (Geris et al., 2022; n=247,318). We applied Hegel's distribution, confidence interval estimation, and odds ratio calculations to test the necessary condition relationship between CMV and prostate cancer. Results: CMV seroprevalence was similar among cases and controls (Sutcliffe: OR=1.13, 95\% CI 0.89–1.45; Geris: OR=1.01, 95\% CI 0.89–1.16). Right-tailed p-values were 0.1667 for both cohorts, indicating no statistically significant necessary condition relationship. The probability of CMV exposure given prostate cancer was approximately 83.4\% in both studies, far below the theoretical requirement of 1.0 (95\% CIs did not include 1.0).Conclusion:CMV is not a necessary condition for prostate cancer. The data consistently demonstrate no causal relationship between CMV and prostate cancer, and further investigation into a direct viral role appears scientifically unjustified. Future research should redirect attention to other potential risk factors.