An Unholy Alliance: How Germs and Cancer Have Joined Forces Against Us
Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
TLDR
- Researchers have discovered that over 3,000 types of microbes reside within tumors, with cancer cells offering protection to these microbes, which in turn stimulate tumor growth.
- A study observed that mice infected with coronaviruses showed a dramatic increase in lung cancer cells within weeks, a phenomenon also seen with influenza viruses.
- Data analysis suggests that patients who had Covid-19 faced a nearly doubled risk of dying from metastases compared to those who did not, indicating a significant link between viral infections and cancer progression.
A groundbreaking discovery is challenging long-held understandings of cancer, revealing a complex and potentially sinister alliance between microbes and malignant tumors. Researchers have found that tumors are not just inert masses but thriving ecosystems harboring over 3,000 species of microbes. These microorganisms, far from being passive bystanders, appear to actively collaborate with cancer cells, receiving protection from the tumor while simultaneously fueling its growth and spread. This revelation, detailed in the NZZ, opens up entirely new avenues for understanding and potentially treating cancer.
Within four weeks of infection, the number of cancer cells exploded a hundred to a thousandfold.
The research, spearheaded by molecular geneticist James DeGregori, began with a provocative question: could Covid-19 influence cancer risk? Experiments on mice showed a startling acceleration of cancer cell proliferation following viral infections, including coronaviruses and influenza. DeGregori described seeing "cancer growth in such a short time that I have not seen in forty years of my career." This alarming observation led to further investigation into human patient data.
We have considered that people went to follow-up care less often during the pandemic.
Subsequent analysis of patient data from the UK, Netherlands, and the US revealed a significant correlation: individuals who contracted Covid-19 faced a nearly twofold increase in their risk of dying from cancer metastases compared to those who remained uninfected. Breast cancer patients also showed a 44% higher risk of developing lung metastases after SARS-CoV-2 infection. This finding fundamentally shifts the paradigm of cancer development, suggesting that latent inflammation triggered by viral infections can dramatically accelerate the progression of existing or dormant cancers. From a Swiss perspective, this research underscores the importance of interdisciplinary science and the potential for unexpected connections between seemingly disparate fields like virology and oncology, offering a glimmer of hope in the fight against a disease that affects so many.
We believed that tumors develop slowly and gradually over decades, whether from smoking or chronic stress.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Neue Zürcher Zeitung in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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