Researchers at the University of Virginia found that severe respiratory infection can change the way some immune cells work inside the lung, so that the internal environment of the lung becomes more suitable for the growth of tumors.
According to a report on the scientific website “MedicalXpress“, scientists explained that severe cases of viral infection can leave the lungs in a state of long-term chronic inflammation even after the infection itself disappears.
Researcher Ji Sun, one of the leaders of the study, said that a severe infection with Covid or influenza may leave the lung in a state of “immune reprogramming” that makes it more susceptible to the appearance of tumors in the future.
The study was based on experiments conducted on animal models in addition to analyzing data from human patients. Experiments showed that mice that were exposed to a severe respiratory infection were more likely to develop lung cancer later, and the chances of dying from the disease increased.
When analyzing patient data, the researchers found that people who needed to be hospitalized due to Covid-19 had an increase in lung cancer rates of about 1.24 times compared to others.
The study showed that strong viral infections affect two important types of immune cells in the lung: neutrophils and macrophages. These changes lead to the creation of an inflammatory environment that allows cancer cells to grow more easily, in addition to changes occurring in the cells that line the bronchi and alveoli.
Vaccines may reduce the risk
One of the positive findings in the study is that vaccination against respiratory viruses appears to reduce these harmful effects. Researchers have noted that vaccines reduce the severity of infection, which prevents immune changes that may lead to the emergence of cancer.
The researchers call on doctors to follow up patients who have developed severe respiratory infections such as Covid-19 or pneumonia, especially in people who have other risk factors such as smoking. This may include periodic examinations such as CT scan of the lungs for early detection of any possible changes.
Scientists believe that understanding the relationship between viral infection and lung cancer may help in the future to improve prevention and early detection of the disease, which may increase the chances of treatment and survival.
