Oncotarget

How HPV and COVID-19 Spike Proteins May Interact to Impact Cancer Suppression

The p53 protein plays a central role in preventing cancer by responding to cellular stress and DNA damage. When activated, it can repair damaged DNA or trigger cell death, preventing the survival of potentially malignant cells. Loss of p53 function is a hallmark of many cancers. HPV is well known to inactivate p53 through its E6 protein, which promotes p53 degradation. This mechanism contributes to HPV-associated cancers, including cervical, anal, and head and neck cancers. SARS-CoV-2, while not traditionally classified as an oncogenic virus, has been shown to interfere with immune function and, in some cases, with cellular pathways that involve p53. A recent article by Dr. Wafik El-Deiry of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, published in Oncotarget, proposes a scientific hypothesis suggesting that proteins from HPV and SARS-CoV-2 may both interfere with the body’s tumor-suppressing mechanisms, potentially compounding their effects on cancer-related pathways. The Hypothesis: HPV E6 and SARS-CoV-2 Spike Proteins May Cooperatively Suppress p53 In the paper, titled “Hypothesis: HPV E6 and COVID spike proteins cooperate in targeting tumor suppression by p53,” Dr. El-Deiry proposes that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, whether introduced via infection or mRNA vaccination, may suppress p53 activity in a manner that complements the effects of HPV E6. In individuals with persistent HPV infection, this combined interference could further reduce p53 function, weakening tumor suppression mechanisms. Full blog - https://www.oncotarget.org/2026/02/09/how-hpv-and-covid-19-spike-proteins-may-interact-to-impact-cancer-suppression/ Paper DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28823 Correspondence to - Wafik S. El-Deiry - wafik@brown.edu Abstract video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GJVmpG4fPk Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://oncotarget.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Foncotarget.28823 Subscribe for free publication alerts from Oncotarget - https://www.oncotarget.com/subscribe/ Keywords - cancer, HPV, COVID, p53, spike To learn more about Oncotarget, please visit https://www.oncotarget.com and connect with us on social media: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Oncotarget/ X - https://twitter.com/oncotarget Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oncotargetjrnl/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OncotargetJournal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/oncotarget Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/oncotarget/ Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/user/Oncotarget/ Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0gRwT6BqYWJzxzmjPJwtVh MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

Exploring Possible Links Between COVID-19 Vaccination, Infection, and Cancer

A growing number of post-pandemic reports have described cancer diagnoses, recurrence, or progression following COVID-19 vaccination or SARS-CoV-2 infection. While no causal relationship has been established, these observations raise important questions that warrant careful, hypothesis-driven investigation. The rapid development and global distribution of mRNA and viral vector vaccines during the pandemic was a landmark achievement in public health, essential in reducing severe COVID-19 cases and mortality. However, the novelty of these vaccines and the absence of long-term carcinogenicity or genotoxicity testing have led some researchers to ask whether rare but biologically plausible interactions with cancer pathways might exist. At the same time, pandemic-related disruptions in routine cancer screening and treatment were anticipated to influence diagnosis patterns. Yet, some reports have described unexpected phenomena, such as rapid disease progression in previously stable cancers or tumor appearance near injection sites, that are not easily explained by delayed care alone. The Review: Examining 69 Studies on Cancer Diagnoses After COVID-19 Vaccination or Infection In a review published in Volume 17 of Oncotarget, titled “COVID vaccination and post-infection cancer signals: Evaluating patterns and potential biological mechanisms,” Charlotte Kuperwasser (Tufts University) and Oncotarget Editor-in-Chief Wafik S. El-Deiry (The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University) examined 69 peer-reviewed publications spanning January 2020 to October 2025. Full blog - https://www.oncotarget.org/2026/01/26/exploring-possible-links-between-covid-19-vaccination-infection-and-cancer/ Paper DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28824 Correspondence to - Charlotte Kuperwasser - charlotte.kuperwasser@tufts.edu, and Wafik S. El-Deiry - wafik@brown.edu Abstract video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_-AaojOoR8 Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://oncotarget.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Foncotarget.28824 Subscribe for free publication alerts from Oncotarget - https://www.oncotarget.com/subscribe/ Keywords - cancer, COVID, vaccine, infection, lymphoma, leukemia, sarcoma, carcinoma To learn more about Oncotarget, please visit https://www.oncotarget.com and connect with us: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Oncotarget/ X - https://twitter.com/oncotarget Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oncotargetjrnl/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OncotargetJournal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/oncotarget Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/oncotarget/ Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/user/Oncotarget/ Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0gRwT6BqYWJzxzmjPJwtVh MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

Overcoming Aromatase Inhibitor Resistance in Breast Cancer: A New Therapeutic Strategy

Most breast cancers depend on estrogen to grow. This dependence explains why hormone-based treatments, such as aromatase inhibitors, are among the most effective therapies for estrogen receptor–positive breast cancer. Despite their success, these treatments do not work indefinitely for all patients. Over time, many tumors adapt to estrogen deprivation and continue to survive, grow, and spread. This process, known as aromatase inhibitor resistance, represents a major clinical challenge and is often associated with more aggressive disease and poorer outcomes. One reason resistant breast tumors are difficult to treat is that cancer cells adapt their internal signaling systems. Instead of relying on estrogen, they activate alternative growth pathways, including the MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways. These pathways promote cell survival, movement, and resistance to therapy and are frequently driven by proteins such as KRAS and related G-proteins, which have historically been difficult to target. A recent study published in Oncotarget suggests now that a new class of compounds may offer a way to overcome this resistance. Full blog - https://www.oncotarget.org/2026/01/13/overcoming-aromatase-inhibitor-resistance-in-breast-cancer-a-new-therapeutic-strategy/ Paper DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28759 Correspondence to - Nazarius S. Lamango - nazarius.lamango@famu.edu Abstract video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xQEilloO9Q Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://oncotarget.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Foncotarget.28759 Subscribe for free publication alerts from Oncotarget - https://www.oncotarget.com/subscribe/ Keywords - cancer, PCAIs, ROS, MAPK, PI3K/AKT, LTLT-Ca cells To learn more about Oncotarget, please visit https://www.oncotarget.com and connect with us: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Oncotarget/ X - https://twitter.com/oncotarget Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oncotargetjrnl/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OncotargetJournal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/oncotarget Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/oncotarget/ Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/user/Oncotarget/ Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0gRwT6BqYWJzxzmjPJwtVh MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

New Hypothesis Links HPV E6 and SARS‑CoV‑2 Spike Proteins to Reduced p53 Activity

BUFFALO, NY – January 13, 2026 – A new #hypothesis article was #published in Oncotarget (Volume 17) on January 3, 2026, titled “Hypothesis: HPV E6 and COVID spike proteins cooperate in targeting tumor suppression by p53.” Written by Wafik S. El-Deiry, Oncotarget Editor-in-Chief, from The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and from Lifespan Health System and Brown University, the paper proposes that two viral proteins, HPV E6 and SARS-CoV-2 spike, could jointly reduce the activity of p53, a protein that helps protect cells from becoming cancerous. HPV is already known to drive several cancers, and the hypothesis suggests that additional pressure on p53 could matter for cancer risk or recurrence in some settings. HPV can promote cancer development in part by using its E6 protein, together with a human partner protein called E6-AP, to drive the downregulation of p53. When p53 is weakened, damaged cells may be more likely to survive and continue growing. The new hypothesis asks whether SARS-CoV-2 viral influence could further reduce p53 function in people already affected by HPV. The article highlights studies suggesting that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein may suppress p53 activity and discusses observations that have raised questions about cancer outcomes after COVID-19 infection or vaccination in certain contexts. It also notes that a search of the literature did not identify clear evidence of direct molecular cooperation between HPV and COVID-19 in suppressing p53, which underscores the need for further studies. “I listened to an interview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnVMjp9mCA0&t=2s) of Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong by Chris Cuomo where I learned about a patient named Jim Johnson with a history of HPV-related head and neck cancer who by 2022 had survived his HPV-related cancer for 7 years and then he took the COVID vaccine.” To investigate the presented hypothesis, Dr. El-Deiry proposes epidemiological studies that analyze cancer incidence and recurrence in HPV-positive groups with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID mRNA vaccination. It also proposes laboratory studies to assess whether HPV E6 and SARS-CoV-2 spike combined reduce p53 function more than either factor alone. Overall, the hypothesis was formulated to focus attention on an HPV and SARS-CoV-2 shared biological target, p53, and to encourage careful studies that separate coincidence from causation. By outlining specific approaches, it aims to help researchers evaluate whether combined viral pressures on tumor-suppressor pathways could contribute to cancer progression. DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28823 Correspondence to - Wafik S. El-Deiry - wafik@brown.edu Abstract video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GJVmpG4fPk Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - https://oncotarget.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Foncotarget.28823 Subscribe for free publication alerts from Oncotarget - https://www.oncotarget.com/subscribe/ Keywords - cancer, HPV, COVID, p53, spike To learn more about Oncotarget, please visit https://www.oncotarget.com and connect with us on social media: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Oncotarget/ X - https://twitter.com/oncotarget Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oncotargetjrnl/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OncotargetJournal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/oncotarget Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/oncotarget/ Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/user/Oncotarget/ Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0gRwT6BqYWJzxzmjPJwtVh MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

Evaluation of Cancer Reports Following COVID-19 Vaccination and Infection

BUFFALO, NY – January 8, 2026 – A new #review was #published in Oncotarget (Volume 17) on January 3, 2026, titled “COVID vaccination and post-infection cancer signals: Evaluating patterns and potential biological mechanisms.” Led by Charlotte Kuperwasser from Tufts University School of Medicine and Oncotarget Editor-in-Chief Wafik S. El-Deiry from The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, the review examines published reports describing cancers that appeared after COVID-19 vaccination or SARS-CoV-2 infection. The authors analyze patterns across case reports, small patient series, and large population studies, and explain why these observations are relevant for cancer research and long-term public health monitoring. Cancer remains a major global health concern, and understanding factors that may influence its behavior is important. The review covers reports published between January 2020 and October 2025 that describe cancer diagnoses, recurrence, or unusually rapid disease progression following vaccination or infection. In total, 69 publications were reviewed. Sixty-six article reports, representing more than 300 patients across multiple countries and cancer types; 2 retrospective investigations; and one longitudinal study spanning the pre-pandemic through post-pandemic periods. The review explores how immune responses triggered by infection or vaccination could, in some individuals, influence existing cancer cells or previously dormant disease. Many article reports involved blood cancers such as lymphomas and leukemias and solid tumors, including breast, lung, pancreatic, brain, and skin cancers. Some cases described rapid disease progression or cancers appearing near vaccine injection sites or nearby lymph nodes. These observations are described as hypothesis-generating rather than evidence of risk. In addition to individual case reports, the review examines findings from large population studies in South Korea, Italy, and the United States military. These studies assessed cancer trends over time in vaccinated populations and reported modest associations for certain cancer types. The authors note that these findings are limited by short follow-up periods and potential reporting and detection biases, emphasizing the need for longer-term data. The authors also discuss possible biological explanations for the reported patterns, including temporary immune changes, inflammation, or altered immune surveillance that could affect tumor behavior in people with undetected or controlled cancer. They place these observations within the broader context of how viral infections can interact with cancer biology. “Establishing causality between SARS-CoV-2 infection, COVID-19 vaccination, and cancer requires a level of evidence far beyond temporal association.” Overall, the review identifies significant gaps in current knowledge about possible associations between COVID-19 vaccination and cancer, including limited long-term cancer surveillance, lack of molecular data, and an incomplete understanding of individual susceptibility. The authors emphasize the need for carefully designed studies that integrate clinical, epidemiologic, and biological evidence. Finally, they conclude that examining these reported patterns is important for advancing cancer research and supporting informed public health discussions. DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28824 Correspondence to - Charlotte Kuperwasser - charlotte.kuperwasser@tufts.edu, and Wafik S. El-Deiry - wafik@brown.edu Abstract video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_-AaojOoR8 To learn more about Oncotarget, please visit https://www.oncotarget.com. MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM