Is there a link between coronavirus and cancer?

In Rock Hill, South Carolina, Kashyap Patel, the head of Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associates, grew concerned during a lunch meeting in 2021. He shared news about a patient in their 40s diagnosed with a rare cancer, sparking worry among his colleagues. Over the next year, they saw a spike in similar cases, along with other strange patterns like multiple cancer diagnoses and rare cancer types.

According to a Washington Post report, some experts think the coronavirus might be linked to this rise in cancer cases, but not everyone is convinced. While disruptions in healthcare during the pandemic could explain some of it, others like Patel wonder if the virus itself could be making cancer worse.

Research into this link is ongoing. Some studies suggest that the virus might cause inflammation in the body that could fuel cancer growth. But we don't have solid proof yet.

Patel is working hard to figure it out. He's studying data from his patients and wants to create a national registry to see if there's a connection between COVID-19 and cancer. His goal is to find ways to spot cancer earlier in people who might be at risk because of the virus.

Patients like Bob and Bonnie Krall, who battled multiple cancers in a short time, show why this research is so important. Even though we're not sure if COVID-19 causes cancer, scientists are working hard to find out, so we can better protect people's health during and after the pandemic.