Editor, the report on “influenza-like infection and laryngeal cancer” is very interesting [1]. Filippidis et al. [1] reported that “recent influenza infections were inversely associated with laryngeal cancer risk.” In the present era of many new emerging influenza, an important consideration is whether the infection can trigger any carcinogenesis. Of interest, influenza virus has never been classified as a carcinogenic virus [2]. However, there are some reports on the carcinogenicity of influenza virus. Mitogenesis of lymphocyte can be induced by influenza A H3 subtype [3]. In animal model study, Savtsova et al. [4] observed that “prolonged persistence of the virus resulted in significant stimulation of the lung tumor incidence in infected mice.” The possible “cocarcinogenic effect of polymetal aerosols” is proposed [5]. At present, since there are many new emerging influenza, the long-term follow-up on the possibility of cancer induction due to the virus is an interesting study in otolaryngology.
References
Filippidis FT, Schwartz SM, Becker N, Dyckhoff G, Kirschfink M, Dietz A, Becher H, Ramroth H (2015) Association of history of allergies and influenza-like infections with laryngeal cancer in a case–control study. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. doi:10.1007/s00405-015-3528-6
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Wiwanitkit, V. Influenza-like infection and laryngeal cancer. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 272, 2085 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-015-3567-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-015-3567-z