Unusual and rare cancers have emerged over the last few years. Is COVID-19 to blame?
MDlinx Dec 21, 2024
Industry Insights
“We were seeing this [rise in unusual cancers start] before the pandemic,” Dr. Jacoub says. “Perhaps COVID has just accelerated it.” - Jack Jacoub, MD, a board-certified medical oncologist
As doctors, you know that certain viruses can cause or increase risks of cancer. Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) can cause cervical cancer, for example, and viruses like Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can increase risks of cancers, according to the American Cancer Society.
American Cancer Society. Viruses that Can Lead to Cancer. March 21, 2023.
In light of recent medical events, some physicians are starting to wonder whether COVID-19 should be added to the list of cancer-causing viruses. According to The Washington Post, doctors have been nervous about an emergence of ‘unusual’ cancers over the last few years, and scientists are calling on the United States government to prioritise asking—and potentially answering—whether COVID-19 could be playing a role.
Cha AE. ‘Unusual’ cancers emerged after the pandemic. Doctors ask if covid is to blame. The Washington Post. June 6, 2024.
Jack Jacoub, MD, a board-certified medical oncologist and the medical director of MemorialCare Cancer Institute at Orange Coast and Saddleback Medical Centers in Orange County, CA, says that oncologists like himself have to be “fairly naive” not to recognise the importance of this question and the patient concerns that come with it.
He adds that it is not rare for a patient to wonder, “How did I get this?” when diagnosed with an unusual cancer or to ask whether their diagnosis is related to COVID-19. Dr. Jacoub says that, even more commonly, he receives questions about whether COVID-19 vaccines are related to emerging cancers—and if people should be worried about them.
COVID-19 vaccines have not been found to cause cancer, and Dr. Jacoub emphasises this, along with the proven safety and effectiveness of the shots, to his patients. Particularly for patients at risk of or already diagnosed with cancer, these vaccines can be crucial, he adds. Still, he says it is important to acknowledge and not discredit patients' fears. He adds that he would never turn a patient away from treatment based on vaccination status or ideology, and it is important for doctors to treat their patients for cancer regardless of whether or not they are vaccinated.
On the other hand, if patients ask Dr. Jacoub whether COVID-19 was responsible for their cancer—which, he admits, happens less frequently—he is unable to give them a definitive answer. Many more studies will be needed to understand widespread trends vs anecdotal evidence and to specify causation vs correlation, he adds. Additionally, researchers will need to look into the complexity of any potential COVID-to-cancer relations. Understanding not just whether, but how, this virus could cause cancer is vital information that could help doctors prescribe helpful prevention and treatment interventions. Dr. Jacoub adds that researchers may need to look into other cancer risks that may be related to COVID-19.
“We were seeing this [rise in unusual cancers start] before the pandemic,” Dr. Jacoub says. “Perhaps COVID has just accelerated it.”
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