CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: Signals emerged in experiments on mice. The research studied the effects of influenza A virus and SARS-CoV-2. In the experiments, dormant breast cancer cells present in the lungs were found to have started dividing again after infection. In some models, a significant increase in the number of cancer cells was also observed after infection.
Inflammation appears to play an important role. Scientists identified interleukin-6, or IL-6, as a potentially important factor in this process. The inflammation and immune response produced in the body during infection may change the environment around cancer cells that keeps them dormant for long periods. However, scientists say IL-6 alone may not be responsible for this process. Immune cells, blood vessels, tissue structure and other biological processes may also have a role.
Do cancer patients need closer monitoring? At present, there is no scientific evidence on the basis of which routine monitoring of people who have recovered from cancer should be changed after a flu or Covid infection. According to experts, the recommendation to begin additional scans, IL-6 tests or special cancer investigations solely because of a respiratory infection is not currently supported.
There is still no clear proof in humans. The findings linked to the research have mainly come from laboratory work and experiments on mice. Some human studies have observed an association between respiratory infections and poorer cancer outcomes, but this does not prove that infection directly causes cancer to return. Scientists say large and long-term human studies are needed to understand this relationship. Therefore, it cannot yet be considered an established cause of cancer recurrence.
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