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Researchers to Test IL-6 Blockers After Viruses Found to Wake Dormant Breast Cancer Cells

Data from mouse models alongside human registries reveal that IL-6–driven inflammation during flu and COVID-19 infections awakens dormant breast cancer cells in the lungs, spurring planned clinical trials of IL-6 inhibitors.

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Wann ist das Risiko für die Entstehung von neuen Corona-Varianten am höchsten?
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Overview

  • Mouse studies showed that influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections trigger IL-6 release in the lungs and drive up to a 1,000-fold increase in metastatic breast cancer cell growth.
  • Mice genetically lacking IL-6 did not experience reactivation of dormant cancer cells after viral infection, confirming the cytokine’s essential role.
  • UK Biobank analyses found cancer survivors who contracted COVID-19 had a 4.5-fold higher risk of death and nearly twice the likelihood of cancer-related mortality.
  • Flatiron Health data indicate that breast cancer survivors with a history of COVID-19 faced a 44 percent greater risk of developing lung metastases.
  • Researchers are moving forward with trials of approved IL-6 inhibitors and advising enhanced vaccination and monitoring for survivors while investigating applicability in other cancer types.