Khaberni - A recent study has shown that individuals who have recovered from COVID-19, especially those with severe cases requiring hospitalization, may be at a 24% higher risk for lung cancer.
Researchers analyzed health records of nearly 76 million American adults and found that the increased risk of cancer persisted even after accounting for known factors such as smoking.
Experiments on mice have shown that severe respiratory infections, whether from COVID-19 or influenza, can contribute to the accelerated growth of lung tumors, while vaccination against the viruses later helped reduce tumor size.
The study explained that severe lung infections lead to permanent changes in lung cells, including immune cells and cells lining the airways; this stimulates the production of G-CSF protein. This protein attracts neutrophils that abnormally accumulate in the lung and suppress anti-tumor immune responses; facilitating the growth of cancer cells after recovery.
Researchers confirmed that the severity of the infection is the most significant factor in increasing cancer risk, with mild infection cases not showing similar effects. Experiments indicated that vaccination protects against long-term complications, including cancer-related effects.
Despite these findings, scientists warn about the limitations of the study, as the human data was based on prior health records without proactive patient follow-up.
It is also possible that some patients might have had pre-cancerous changes before contracting COVID-19, which could have contributed to the severity of the disease and the subsequent cancer diagnosis.
This study highlights the importance of prevention and vaccination against severe respiratory diseases, and opens the field for more research on the long-term effects of COVID-19 on lung health.
