Parasitic infection may trigger cancer in cervix after treatment: Study

New research has revealed that Schistosoma haematobium S haematobium a parasitic infection affecting millions globally can trigger cancerrelated gene activity in the cervical lining with changes becoming even more pronounced after treatmentPresented at the lsquoESCMID Global 2025rsquo in Austria this pivotal study sheds new light on how this oftenoverlooked parasitic disease may contribute to cervical cancer risk at the molecular levelCertain cancerrelated biological pathways became more active posttreatment particularly those involved in inflammation tissue remodelling and the breakdown of protective barriers in the cervixThese changes were linked to increased blood vessel formation activation of tumourrelated processes and reduced programmed cell death apoptosismdasha key mechanism for eliminating abnormal cellsldquoThe findings suggest that infection may trigger molecular changes that make women more vulnerable to cancerrelated processes in the cervix especially after treatmentrdquo explained Dr Anna Maria Mertelsmann lead study authorOne particularly concerning observation was the downregulation of genes responsible for maintaining cervical tissue integrity including claudins and tight junction proteins This loss of protective function could facilitate HPV infection and persistence a major risk factor for cervical cancer said MertelsmannThe research shows that women who received ldquopraziquantelrdquo treatment exhibited more genetic changes linked to cancer than those with an active infectionrdquo Dr Mertelsmann added ldquoThis raises critical questions about the longterm effects of treatment and highlights the need for careful posttreatment monitoringrdquoThis study published in the journal BEYOND serves as an important first step in understanding the role of S haematobium in cervical cancer and a larger study following 180 women over 12 months is currently underway to confirm these findingsFuture research will also explore whether women who have had schistosomiasis are at greater risk of cervical cancer due to longterm HPV infectionsResearchers stress the need for greater awareness of Female Genital Schistosomiasis FGS as many women with S haematobium are also affected by this difficulttodiagnose conditionldquoWomen diagnosed with S haematobium should be closely monitored for early signs of cervical tissue abnormalitiesrdquo she emphasisedShe also suggested that additional treatments mdash such as antiinflammatory or immunemodulating therapiesmdashcould help counteract the harmful effects seen after treatmentMoreover widespread HPV vaccination could play a crucial role in reducing cervical cancer risk for women affected by schistosomiasisThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoeveratOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params