Severe COVID-19, Flu May Trigger Lung Cancer Later

Vaccination helps prevent harmful lung changes that can lead to cancer, study finds

Mar. 12, 2026 at 2:34am

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New research from UVA Health's Beirne B. Carter Center for Immunology Research and UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center indicates that severe COVID-19 and influenza infections can prime the lungs for cancer and accelerate the disease's development, but vaccination largely prevents those harmful changes.

Why it matters

Respiratory infections like COVID-19 and flu are common causes of lung injury, but the long-term effects on cancer risk have been poorly understood. This study provides important insights that could help doctors identify patients at higher risk of lung cancer after severe viral infections and develop better prevention and treatment strategies.

The details

The researchers found that mice that suffered severe lung infections were more likely to develop lung cancer and more likely to die from it. In examining patient data, they found a significant association between prior COVID-19 hospitalization and increased lung cancer incidence, regardless of smoking history or other health conditions. The scientists believe severe viral infections "reprogrammed" immune cells in the lungs to create an environment that facilitates cancer growth. However, prior vaccination appeared to prevent these cancer-promoting lung changes.

  • The research findings were published in March 2026.

The players

Jie Sun

A UVA School of Medicine researcher, co-director of UVA's Carter Center, and member of UVA's Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health.

Jeffrey Sturek

A UVA physician-scientist and collaborator on the project.

UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center

One of only 57 cancer centers in the nation to earn the National Cancer Center's "comprehensive" designation in recognition of their outstanding patient care and cutting-edge cancer research programs.

UVA's Beirne B. Carter Center for Immunology Research

Founded through the generosity of Beirne B. Carter, the center's researchers work to provide a better understanding of infection, cancer, cardiovascular conditions, chronic lung diseases, microbiome and autoimmune disorders, helping find new treatments and cures.

UVA's new Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology

Aims to advance cutting-edge medical research and accelerate how quickly lab discoveries can be translated into lifesaving new treatments.

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What they’re saying

“A bad case of COVID or flu can leave the lungs in a long-lasting 'inflamed' state that makes it easier for cancer to take hold later.”

— Jie Sun, Co-director of UVA's Carter Center and a member of UVA's Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health

“These findings have important immediate implications for how we monitor patients after severe respiratory viral infection. We've known for a long time that things like smoking increase the risk for lung cancer. The results from this study suggest that we may need to think about severe respiratory viral infection similarly.”

— Jeffrey Sturek, UVA physician-scientist

What’s next

The researchers hope that their findings will help doctors identify patients at risk for viral lung cancer so that they can get treatment sooner. They also believe that further research into the biological changes caused by severe lung infections could lead to better treatments to improve patient outcomes and save lives.

The takeaway

This study provides important insights that could help doctors better monitor and care for patients who have recovered from severe COVID-19, flu, or other serious respiratory infections, as they may face an increased risk of developing lung cancer in the years ahead. Vaccination appears to be key in preventing the harmful lung changes that can facilitate cancer growth.