Researchers from the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem announced on April 11 new findings that suggest a potential association between COVID-19 infection and an increased risk of lung cancer.
The study, published in Frontiers in Immunology, integrates clinical data with laboratory research to examine how SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, may contribute to long-term lung disease. This research is significant as it explores possible biological mechanisms behind observed increases in lung cancer among individuals who have had COVID-19.
According to the researchers, they identified a key role for thymidine phosphorylase (TYMP), a protein that may interact with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. This interaction could promote inflammation, fibrosis, and tumor-related pathways within the lungs. The study found that these processes are associated with cancer growth and may alter the immune environment of the lungs in ways that support tumor formation.
The team used a large clinical dataset from the TriNetX Research Network and observed higher rates of lung cancer among patients with a history of COVID-19, particularly among current and former smokers. The authors said more research is needed to fully understand this relationship and its long-term implications.
Cayleigh Wallace from Marshall University and Alex Gileles-Hillel, M.D., from Hebrew University served as co-first authors on the study. Li Yue and Hong Yue, Ph.D., also from Marshall University, were co-corresponding authors. The work supports a pending National Institutes of Health R03 grant application led by Yue with David Gozal, M.D., M.B.A., Ph.D. (Hon) serving as consultant.
"The collaboration between basic and translational scientists and clinicians enabled the identification of mechanisms underlying epidemiological evidence linking COVID-19 infection to the potential increased risk of lung cancer," said Gozal, who serves as vice president for health affairs and dean of the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University. "This is exactly the type of research the School of Medicine aims to expand in the coming years."
Funding for this study was provided by several grants including R15HL145573, R01HL177493 awarded to WL; support from West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute-Pop-Up COVID-19 Fund backed by National Institute of General Medical Sciences; Cancer Biology Pilot Grant Program; West Virginia IDeA Network supported by WV-INBRE P20GM103434.
