Study Links COVID Vaccine to Cancer Risks
In the United States, skepticism surrounding vaccinations is hardly new. It’s fueled by a lack of trust in government sources and some strange claims from health officials, leaving many people hesitant. Now, a recent study suggests a possible connection between the COVID vaccine and six different types of cancer, raising even more concerns among the public. Researchers from Korea claim to have found evidence that the vaccine may increase the risk for various cancers, including lung, breast, and prostate cancers.
The study, which appeared in the journal Biomarker Research, indicated that older adults—specifically those over 65—faced the highest risk. The authors conducted an analysis of health records from over 8.4 million adults spanning from 2021 to 2023.
Study Insights
Participants were classified based on their vaccination status, including whether they had received a booster, and cancer diagnosis rates were then compared. They posited that, after a year, individuals who had received at least one COVID vaccination exhibited a 35% higher risk of thyroid cancer and a 34% risk for gastric cancer. Alarmingly, the risks for lung and prostate cancers were reported at 53% and 68%, respectively. Breast and colorectal cancers had associated risks of 20% and 28%.
Vaccines Under Scrutiny
According to the authors, mRNA vaccines, particularly from Pfizer and Moderna, were linked to higher risks of thyroid, colorectal, lung, and breast cancers. Furthermore, they noted that vaccinated males seemed more susceptible to gastric and lung cancers, while females faced increased risks for thyroid and colorectal cancers. Nevertheless, the study did not clarify how the vaccines might contribute to these elevated risks.
Validity of Claims
The findings have sparked significant debate, with experts labeling the conclusions as “superficially alarming” and suggesting that they might be exaggerated. For instance, Cancer Research UK has critiqued the study and emphasized that mRNA technology is also being employed to develop new vaccines that could aid in preventing lung and ovarian cancers, among others.
Dr. Benjamin Mazer, who is an assistant professor of pathology at Johns Hopkins University, remarked, “No carcinogen can induce cancer that quickly.” He pointed out that cancer development takes time, and the outcomes measured in the study reflect cancer diagnosis rather than its actual emergence in the body. This has led to skepticism about how quickly vaccine-linked cancers could develop to a diagnosable level.
Previously, concerns linking COVID vaccines to “turbo cancers” have been largely dismissed by medical professionals. Scientists have found no credible evidence that these vaccines disrupt tumor suppressors or trigger any cancer-promoting processes.
