Oncologist of the Ministry of Health denied the link between COVID-19 and lung cancer – RBK

Oncologists have no data that those who have undergone COVID-19 more often than others develop lung or gastrointestinal cancer, the director of the N.N. N.N.Blokhina, chief freelance oncologist of the Russian Ministry of Health Ivan Stilidi.

According to him, thanks to the pandemic, oncologists have indeed begun to detect lung cancer at an early stage more often. However, according to Stilidi, this is not due to the virus itself, but to the fact that Russians have become more likely to undergo lung examinations using computed tomography, fearing pneumonia.

“Consequence does not mean result. <...> There is no data on the relationship of COVID with the occurrence of malignant tumors, “the oncologist emphasized.

Earlier, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Health Protection, Candidate of Medical Sciences Tatyana Solomatina said that those who have had coronavirus may develop lung or gastrointestinal cancer. According to her, inflammation due to COVID-19 can be the initial stage for the development of cancer.