A landmark study published in Nature reveals that common respiratory viral infections, including COVID-19 and influenza, can awaken dormant metastatic breast cancer cells in the lungs. Conducted by researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Utrecht University, the multidisciplinary research demonstrated that viral-induced inflammation reactivates dormant cancer cells, leading to metastatic outgrowth. The findings underscore the importance of respiratory virus vaccination and heightened awareness among cancer survivors to potentially mitigate cancer progression risks linked to viral infections.