“The correlation of COVID-19 and cancer poses significant challenges, as cancer patients are immunocompromised and more susceptible to viral infections. This dual burden has spurred extensive research to understand the correlation between the two diseases and to develop suitable therapeutic strategies. Reports have shown that SARS-CoV-2 proteins, such as the M protein, non-structural proteins, and spike protein, influence cellular functions relevant to cancer progression. These proteins can inhibit tumor suppressor genes, activate survival signaling pathways, stimulate cytokine production, and activate the NF-κB pathway, creating a tumorigenic environment. Additionally, SARS-CoV-2 proteins can promote metastasis by upregulating mesenchymal markers and metastasis-related signaling pathways. They have the ability to alter metabolic pathways, cause damage to DNA, and inhibit DNA repair systems, which can result in genomic instability and metabolic reprogramming that are specific to cancer cells. These viral proteins also influence programmed cell death evasion and aid immune evasion through upregulation of PD-L1 and M2 macrophage polarization. COVID-19 is further linked with epigenetic modifications induced by SARS-CoV-2, such as DNA methylation and histone deacetylation, that further may lead to changes in gene expression associated with cancer development. The activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes by SARS-CoV-2 intersects with multiple cancer hallmarks, suggesting a role in cancer development and progression.”
