Impact of Previous Covid-19 Infection on Cancer  Progression and Occurrence: A Retrospective  Study of Different Cancer Types

Ammar B  Al-Asadi; Marwa  A Hadab; Jabbar F  Al-Maadhidi; Murtadha  N Abdulghani; Dhiey A  Al-Aameri; Bareq N  Al-Nuaimi

Ammar B Al-Asadi Ibn Sina University of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Baghdad, Iraq
Marwa A Hadab Ibn Sina University of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Baghdad, Iraq
Jabbar F Al-Maadhidi Departement of Biology, College of Science, Madenat Alelem University, Baghdad, Iraq
Murtadha N Abdulghani Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
Dhiey A Al-Aameri Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
Bareq N Al-Nuaimi Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Al-Iraqia University, Baghdad, Iraq

Keywords: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Cancer, Immune dysregulation, Oncogenesis

Abstract

Background: The possibility of the oncogenic effect of the SARS-CoV-2 infection has become a growing concern owing to its prolonged immune and inflammatory effects. The present study had the objective of testing the hypothesis of whether the presence of a previous COVID-19 infection affects cancer incidence, distribution, and stage of diagnosis.
Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on 100 cancer patients with documented previous COVID-19 infection. Data on demographics, cancer type and stage, COVID-19 severity, and the
interval between infection and cancer diagnosis were analyzed and compared with the Iraqi Cancer Registry (2018). Statistical analysis was performed using SAS software, employing Chi-square, t-test, and
ANOVA.
Results: The mean patient age was 52.86 ± 17.45 years; 51% were male and 49% female. Solid tumors constituted 64% of cases, while hematologic malignancies represented 36%. Compared with 2018
national data, leukemia and prostate cancer increased significantly (27% and 14%, respectively; p < 0.001). Advanced stages (III–IV) were frequent in patients with severe COVID-19 (p = 0.0017). The mean interval between COVID-19 infection and cancer diagnosis was shorter among advanced-stage patients (1.84 ± 0.92 years) than early-stage ones (2.18 ± 0.84 years; p = 0.0321).
Conclusion: Patients with previous COVID-19 infections may be associated with altered cancer distribution and stage at diagnosis, possibly due to immune dysregulation and inflammatory sequelae. These findings emphasize the necessity of vigilant cancer surveillanceam chanisms linking SARS-CoV-2 to oncogenesis.
Keywords: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Cancer, Immune dysregulation,Oncogenesis

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/0019.5138.202632

How to cite this article:
Al-Asadi A B, Hadab M A, Al-Maadhidi J F, Abdulghani M N, Al-Aameri D A, Al-Nuaimi B N. Impact of Previous Covid-19 Infection on Cancer Progression and Occurrence: A RetrospectiveStudy of Different Cancer Types. J Commun Dis.2026;58(2):79-86.

References

Al-Nuaimi, Bareq N., and Raghad H. Al-Azzawi. “Correlation between MicroRNA-155 expression and viral load in severe COVID-19 patients.” J. Commun. Dis 56.4 (2024): 4. [Google Scholar].

ABDULGHANI MN. Immune response among different types of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in Iraq. https://doi.org/10.24321/0019.5138.202216 [Google Scholar]

Rini BI, Best AF, Bowman MD, Mishkin GE, Denicoff AM, Rubinstein LV, Harris L, Geiger AM, Mark NM, Pergam SA, Warner JL. Risk factors for COVID-19–related hospitalization and death in patients with cancer: the National Cancer Institute COVID-19 in Cancer Patients Study (NCCAPS). JAMA oncology. 2025 Sep;11(9):990-8. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.2010 [Google Scholar] [Pubmed]

Jafari M, Dastgheib SA, Ferdosian F, Mirjalili H, Aarafi H, Noorishadkam M, Mazaheri M, Neamatzadeh H. Proportion of hematological cancer patients with SARS CoV-2 infection during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Hematology, Transfusion and Cell Therapy. 2022;44:225-34.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.htct.2021.09.020 [Google scholar] [Pubmed]

Chatterji S, Turuk A, Das P, Bhattacharya S, Mukherjee S, Ghosh PS, Chatterjee A, Mukerjee A, Kumar G, Satija A, Josten K. Insights into cancer characteristics among SARS-CoV-2 infected hospitalized patients: a comprehensive analysis from the National Clinical Registry for COVID-19. Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology. 2024 Nov 15;150(11):500. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-024-05966-1 [Google Scholar] [Pubmed]