Shingles does not increase the risk of cancer in the general population, reported scientists from Taiwan in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Shingles, or zoster, is an infectious viral disease caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox – herpes virus varicella. It manifests itself by the presence of painful vesicles and a rash located in characteristic places along the course of the nerves. Their most common location is the face (nose and eyeball), chest, back, and abdomen.
Numerous studies have shown that the disease is more common in cancer patients than in the rest of the population. However, until now, it has not been known whether developing shingles promotes the development of cancer. The case was investigated by scientists from the Infectious Ward of the Central Veterans Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan. They conducted a study on 35 patients diagnosed with herpes zoster and found no association between the disease and increased cancer susceptibility.
We found no increased risk of developing cancer in people with herpes zoster compared to the general population, regardless of gender, age and follow-up, says Dr. Yi-Tsung Lin, one of the study’s co-authors.
In their experiment, scientists also looked at other comorbidities of herpes zoster, such as diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, autoimmune diseases, and heart disease. No relationship was found between them.
Our results suggest that additional tests in patients diagnosed with shingles, or their increased monitoring for cancer risk, are not necessary, the authors conclude. (PAP)
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