Should We Expect an Increase in the Number of Cancer Cases in People with Long COVID?

By Dr.José-Ramón Blanco's team ,  https://doi.org/10.3390/ (2-3 minutes to read)

Key points:

  1. Background: The article discusses whether people who have had COVID-19 for a long time (known as long COVID) might have a higher risk of getting cancer. This concern arises because we know some viruses can increase the risk of cancer.
  2. Long COVID: After recovering from the initial COVID-19 infection, some people continue to experience symptoms like fatigue and weakness for a long time. This condition is called long COVID.
  3. How Viruses Can Lead to Cancer: The article explains that certain viruses are known to cause cancer. For example, some well-known viruses like the one that causes hepatitis can lead to liver cancer.
  4. COVID-19's Effects on Cells: One of the ways COVID-19 might increase cancer risk is by causing changes in our cells. The virus might make cells age faster or behave in ways that could lead to cancer.
  5. Inflammation: Long-lasting inflammation, which can happen after a COVID-19 infection, is known to increase the risk of cancer. The article explores whether long COVID might cause this kind of ongoing inflammation.
  6. Virus Remaining in the Body: There's a possibility that parts of the COVID-19 virus might stay in the body longer than we thought. This could potentially lead to long-term health effects, including an increased risk of cancer.
  7. Direct Effects of the Virus: The article also explores the idea that COVID-19 might directly affect genes that protect us against cancer. If these genes are affected, it could potentially lead to an increased cancer risk.
  8. Immune System Impact: COVID-19 can weaken the immune system. Since a strong immune system helps protect against cancer, this weakening could potentially increase cancer risk.
  9. Interesting Observations: Surprisingly, some studies mentioned in the article have noted unexpected decreases in cancer during COVID-19 infection, suggesting a complex relationship between the virus and cancer.
  10. Conclusion: The article concludes that while there are some theories and early observations, there is still a lot we don’t know. More research is needed to understand if there is a real link between long COVID and an increased risk of cancer.