Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Aug 16, 2025 16 hours, 59 minutes ago
Thailand Medical News: A New Link Between COVID and HPV Related Cancers
A large-scale study by researchers from Taichung Veterans General Hospital and Chung Shan Medical University in Taiwan has revealed alarming evidence that SARS-CoV-2 infection can significantly increase the risk of developing cancers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). The research analyzed data from over 4.8 million women aged 18 to 90, none of whom had prior HPV-related cancer or had been vaccinated against HPV before 2020. This
Thailand Medical News report highlights a concerning connection between COVID-19 and the progression of certain viral-linked cancers.
COVID-19 Increases Risk of HPV Linked Cancers
What the Study Found
Using data from the global TriNetX network, which collects medical records from 106 healthcare organizations in 15 countries, the team compared women who had contracted COVID-19 in 2020 to those who had not. After matching participants by age and race, each group contained 1.28 million women, followed for three years.
The findings were striking: those who had COVID-19 faced a 67% higher risk of cervical cancer, 131% higher risk of vaginal cancer, 98% higher risk of vulvar cancer, 92% higher risk of anal cancer, and 78% higher risk of oropharyngeal cancer. Even non-invasive precancerous conditions, known as carcinoma in situ, showed increased risks—ranging from 34% higher for cervical lesions to nearly double for anal lesions.
Possible Biological Mechanisms
The researchers suggest that COVID-19 may weaken the immune system’s ability to control HPV infections. HPV causes cancer through its E6 and E7 proteins, which disable key tumor suppressor proteins like p53 and pRb, leading to uncontrolled cell growth. COVID-19 has been linked to immune exhaustion, high levels of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, and increased PD-L1 expression—all of which may help HPV-related lesions progress faster to cancer.
Interestingly, the study found that Black women who had COVID-19 generally experienced a greater increase in cancer risk than White women, although the reasons for this remain unclear.
Why This Matters
HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections, with high-risk strains like HPV 16 and 18 responsible for the majority of cervical, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers. Normally, progression from HPV infection to cancer can take years, but the immune disruption caused by COVID-19 may speed up this process.
Conclusions
This research suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection is not just a respiratory threat—it could also be a hidden accelerator for other viruses that cause cancer. The elevated risks were seen across age groups and races, though they were most pronounced in women over 40. The findings raise important public health questions about post-COVID monitoring, especially in women with known HPV infections. Long-term follow-up and further research are needed to confirm these links, understand the biological mechanisms
, and explore preventive strategies, including vaccination and cancer screening programs.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Discover Oncology.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12672-025-03403-4
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https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-covid-19-triggers-rna-protein-that-fuels-cancer-progression
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