Scientists have identified a link between severe COVID-19 and lung cancer

Severe forms of COVID-19 or influenza can trigger the development of lung cancer years after recovery. This was reported on March 13 by Science Daily magazine.

Scientists have discovered that serious viral infections can alter immune cells in the lungs, leaving behind chronic inflammation. This process creates a favorable environment for the appearance and growth of tumors. The analysis showed that an increased risk is observed mainly in patients whose condition required hospitalization.

"Severe COVID-19 or influenza can lead to prolonged pneumonia, which facilitates the development of cancer in the future. The encouraging news is that vaccination largely prevents these harmful changes that promote the growth of cancer cells in the lungs," said Jae Sun, co—director of the B.B. Carter Center for Immunological Research at the University of Virginia.

According to the study, in patients hospitalized with COVID-19, the frequency of lung cancer diagnosis increased by 1.24 times. In people who had a mild infection, no such threat was detected — their incidence rates even decreased slightly.

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The mechanism of tumor formation was studied during experiments on mice. The researchers found that after severe illness, neutrophils and macrophages (cells of the immune system), which normally protect the lungs, began to function abnormally, contributing to the formation of a persistent inflammatory environment. The epithelial cells lining the respiratory tract also underwent changes.

"These results have important direct implications for monitoring patients after severe respiratory viral infections. <...> The results of this study suggest that we may need to approach severe respiratory viral infections in a similar way," said Jeffrey Sturek, MD, a researcher at the University of Virginia.

Oncologist Evgeny Cheremushkin on March 12 called stomach cancer one of the most common types of the disease. According to him, tumors most often occur in organs that come into contact with the external environment, such as the skin, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract. One of the possible reasons, the expert called the peculiarities of nutrition, including the use of foods with preservatives.

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