Coronavirus and lung cancer

Abstract

Relevance. Long-term statistics in Kyrgyzstan indicate a consistent pattern of lung cancer detection, with slight fluctuations. The literature contains data on the impact of COVID-19, a coronavirus infection that has claimed the lives of over 6 million people, on the course of lung cancer. This study aims to investigate the relationship between previous coronavirus infection and lung cancer. Study Objective: To assess the impact of COVID-19 on changes in the clinical and morphological characteristics of lung cancer. Materials and Methods: An analysis of clinical data from patients observed at the National Center for Oncology and Hematology of the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic from 2018 to 2025 revealed that the statistical pattern has changed significantly from pre-pandemic (2018-2019) to 2020-2021. Results and Discussion Changes in the clinical presentation and morphological characteristics of malignant neoplasms before and after the pandemic clearly correlate with literature data and are likely due to an increase in the prevalence of less differentiated tumors, which lead to a more aggressive course and more rapid generalization. Conclusion. Difficulties in differential diagnosis, accelerated growth rates, earlier generalization, and an increased prevalence of less differentiated tumors significantly complicate the effectiveness of lung cancer treatment.

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