A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation has revealed a surprising potential benefit of severe COVID infection: it may help shrink cancer.
This groundbreaking finding, based on research conducted in mice, highlights the intricate relationship between the immune system and cancer cells. While this discovery opens up new possibilities for cancer treatment, it is not a reason for people to actively seek out COVID infection.
The study focused on a type of white blood cell called monocytes, which can be hijacked by tumour cells in cancer patients. However, the researchers found that severe COVID infection triggers the production of a specialized type of monocyte with unique anti-cancer properties.
These “induced” monocytes are trained to target the virus but also retain the ability to fight cancer cells. This is due to their special receptor that binds well to a specific sequence of COVID RNA, making them like a perfect lock-and-key fit. This finding provides valuable insights into the potential of the immune system in fighting cancer and could lead to new treatments in the future.
