Commentary calls for consistent evaluation of potential links between COVID-19, vaccination and cancer
“Given this evidence, however, published in highly regarded scientific journals, if we are to consider if COVID-19 is contributing to cancers, should we not also consider if COVID-19 vaccines are contributing to cancers?”
image:
Oncotarget (a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal) aims to maximize research impact through insightful peer-review; eliminate borders between specialties by linking different fields of oncology, cancer research and biomedical sciences; and foster application of basic and clinical science.
view moreCredit: Copyright © 2026 Rapamycin Press LLC dba Impact Journals Oncotarget ® is a registered trademark of Rapamycin Press LLC Impact Journals ® is a registered trademark of Rapamycin Press LLC RAPAMYCIN PRESS ® is a registered trademark of Rapamycin Press LLC
“Given this evidence, however, published in highly regarded scientific journals, if we are to consider if COVID-19 is contributing to cancers, should we not also consider if COVID-19 vaccines are contributing to cancers?”
BUFFALO, NY – September 17, 2026 – A new commentary was published in Volume 17 of Oncotarget on September 11, 2026, titled “Are both COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines associated with cancer?.”
The paper was authored by Raphael Lataster, an independent researcher at the University of Sydney, and responds to a recent Oncotarget review by Charlotte Kuperwasser and Wafik S. El-Deiry examining published reports concerning cancer following COVID-19 vaccination or infection.
Lataster highlights research concerning potential associations between COVID-19 and cancer and discusses mechanisms proposed in the literature. He argues that similar mechanisms reported in connection with COVID-19 vaccination warrant consideration and further study.
The commentary also highlights differences in how evidence concerning COVID-19 vaccines and cancer has been evaluated in the scientific literature. He calls for the same evidentiary standards to be applied when considering potential links between COVID-19 infection, vaccination, and cancer.
“Such inquiries should proceed without preconceptions, applying the same evidentiary standards regardless of whether findings implicate infection, vaccination, or both.”
The commentary does not establish a causal relationship between COVID-19 vaccination and cancer. Rather, it calls for potential associations and biological mechanisms to be investigated without predetermined conclusions and with appropriate consideration of alternative explanations and the limitations of observational evidence.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28918
Correspondence to: Raphael Lataster – okaythennews@gmail.com (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6670-1702)
Keywords: cancer, COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccines, double standards
Click here to sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article.
________
To learn more about the journal, visit Oncotarget.com and connect with us on social media:
X
Facebook
YouTube
Instagram
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Spotify, and available wherever you listen to podcasts
Click here to subscribe to Oncotarget publication updates.
For media inquiries, please contact media@impactjournals.com.
Journal
Oncotarget
Method of Research
News article
Subject of Research
Not applicable
Article Title
Are both COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines associated with cancer?
Article Publication Date
11-Sep-2026
COI Statement
Author has no conflicts of interest to declare.
No comments:
Post a Comment