Since the 1960s, scientists have estimated that 15% to 20% of all cancers originate from infectious agents, such as HPV, Epstein-Barr and hepatitis B. It’s possible that COVID-19 could be another infection that promotes cancer, but conclusive answers are not yet available.
“We are completely under-investigating this virus,” Douglas Wallace, PhD, a University of Pennsylvania geneticist and evolutionary biologist, told the Post. “The effects of repeatedly getting this throughout our lives is going to be much more significant than people are thinking.”
A number of small and early studies suggest COVID-19 can induce inflammatory responses that could exacerbate the growth of cancer cells. However, the virus “may be more akin to a stressor — like tobacco, alcohol, asbestos or microplastics,” David Tuveson, MD, PhD, suggested in the report.
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