Cancer cells
Common viruses may reactivate numb cells of breast cancer in the lungs, increasing the risk of relapse – years after remission.
A new suggests that Common respiratory viruseslike a gripe and the Coronavírus, they can reactivate dormant cells from breast cancer in the lungs, increasing the risk of recurrence – same Years after remission.
Investigators have found worrying evidence that infections caused by Sars-Cov-2 and flu viruses can reactivate small inactive groupings of cancer cells that survived the initial treatment.
These numb cells, which can remain in the lungs, bones or liver for years without being detected, can be aroused by inflammation caused by viral infectionsexplains the.
James Degregori, a molecular geneticist at the University of Colorado, compared the phenomenon to embers of a fire that are rekindled by a gust of wind. “Dormant cancer cells are like embers left in an abandoned bonfire, and breathing viruses are like a strong wind that rekindles the flames,” he explained.
The investigation began after a increase of deaths related to cancer during the covid-19 pandemic. An analysis of BOBANK revealed that individuals in remission who tested positive for SARS-Cov-2 had the double the risk to die of cancer compared to those not infected.
Data from almost 37,000 breast cancer patients in the USA have also shown an increase over higher than 40% at the risk of metastases pulmonary after covid-19 infection.
In laboratory tests with rats, both the Covid-19 and flu viruses caused a rapid proliferation of the dormant cells of breast cancer. Two weeks after the infection, the Metastatic tumor growth has increased more than 100 times in the lungs of the animals.
According to the investigators, this dramatic response seems to be caused not directly by the virus, but by the inflammatory reaction of the body -In particular an increase in cytokines such as IL-6.
Although further studies in human models are needed, the results raise serious concerns for the millions of survivors of breast cancer around the world.
If respiratory infections significantly increase the risk of relapse, researchers argue that preventive strategies-such as directed vaccination-may become crucial long-term tools.
“The probability of dying due to the reactivation of these dormant cells is much greater if you contract a respiratory virus like flu or covid,” warned Degregori. “This means that protecting cancer survivors against these infections can be more important than we thought.”
New studies are already underway to verify that the vaccines Against flu and covid-19 can reduce this metastatic risk.
