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Cancer research

Respiratory Viruses Can Reactivate Dormant Cancer Cells

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Researchers at the Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have made a groundbreaking discovery that respiratory infections, including COVID-19 and influenza, can awaken dormant breast cancer cells that have spread to the lungs, setting the stage for new metastatic tumors. The study, published in Nature, found that the common respiratory viruses can trigger the reactivation of dormant cancer cells in the lungs, leading to a massive expansion of metastatic cells and the appearance of metastatic lesions.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that respiratory infections, including COVID-19 and influenza, can awaken dormant breast cancer cells that have spread to the lungs, setting the stage for new metastatic tumors.
  • The researchers discovered that the interleukin-6 (IL-6) protein is a key mediator in the reactivation of dormant cancer cells from dormancy, suggesting that using IL-6 inhibitors or other targeted immunotherapies might prevent or lessen the resurgence of metastasis following viral infection.
  • Two population studies found that cancer survivors who contracted COVID-19 had a significantly higher risk of dying from cancer compared to those who did not contract COVID-19, with the effect being most pronounced in the first year after infection.
  • The study found that cancer survivors who tested positive for COVID-19 faced a 50% higher risk of experiencing metastatic progression to the lungs compared to patients with breast cancer without a COVID-19 diagnosis.
  • The researchers suggest that understanding the underlying mechanisms of how respiratory viruses reactivate dormant cancer cells can lead to the development of interventions that limit the risk of metastatic progression in cancer survivors who experience respiratory viral infections.

Statistics:

  • The study found that 487 individuals with cancer tested positive for COVID-19, while 4,350 matched controls tested negative, with cancer patients who tested positive for COVID-19 facing an 80% higher risk of dying from cancer compared to those who did not contract COVID-19.
  • The study found that among 36,216 COVID-19-negative patients with breast cancer, 532 patients came down with COVID-19, resulting in a 50% higher risk of experiencing metastatic progression to the lungs compared to patients with breast cancer without a COVID-19 diagnosis.
  • The study suggests that respiratory viral infections are a significant risk factor for cancer survivors, with the potential for a 50% or more increase in the risk of metastatic disease.

Sources:

  • "Respiratory viral infections awaken metastatic breast cancer cells in lungs" (Nature, 2025)
  • Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, "Researchers Find Common Respiratory Viruses Can Reactivate Dormant Cancer Cells" (2025)
  • University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, "CU Anschutz Researchers Discover Respiratory Viruses Can Reactivate Dormant Cancer Cells" (2025)
  • Utrecht University, "Utrecht University Researchers Contribute to Study on Respiratory Viruses and Cancer" (2025)
  • Imperial College London, "Imperial College London Researchers Contribute to Study on Respiratory Viruses and Cancer" (2025)

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