Jie Sun, PhD
Harrison Distinguished Teaching Professor Jie Sun, PhD, in the Department of Medicine’s Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health and the Beirne B. Carter Center for Immunology Research, was featured locally, across Virginia, on TV stations nationally and in more than 100 media outlets internationally discussing his research into how severe cases of influenza and COVID can facilitate lung cancer.
Could a severe respiratory infection increase the risk of developing lung cancer? New research has found that being hospitalized with severe COVID-19 or influenza may be linked to a higher risk of lung cancer—emerging months or even years later.
Dr. Sun says this study is the first to establish a causal link between prior viral infection and the development of lung cancer. “Severe viral infections are not only harmful in the acute phase but may also contribute to the development of chronic diseases, including cancer. Therefore, it is important to protect ourselves from severe infections whenever possible,” said Sun.
The research findings underscore the importance of vaccination, and healthcare providers are encouraged to consider close monitoring of people with a history of severe COVID, flu, or pneumonia for lung cancer screening purposes.
Read full article at Everydayhealth.com.
Filed Under: Media Highlights