Scientists have proven the link between runny nose and cancer for the first time

Chronic rhinosinusitis may increase the risk of developing cancer — this is the conclusion reached by scientists who presented the results of a large-scale study at the annual conference of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

As reported by BAKU.WS with reference to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, data presented at the AAAAI Annual Meeting 2026 point to a possible link between chronic rhinosinusitis and an increased likelihood of developing cancer. The study became one of the largest in this field and included an analysis of medical records of hundreds of thousands of patients from South Korea and Japan.

The researchers examined medical databases of individuals over the age of 40. In the South Korean sample, which covered more than 587,000 people, the presence of chronic rhinosinusitis was associated with an approximately 15% increase in the overall risk of cancer. In the Japanese cohort, where the analysis included over 4.8 million patients, the figure was significantly higher — the likelihood of developing cancer increased by approximately 63%.

Additional analysis showed that patients from South Korea with this condition had an overall cancer risk that was approximately 18% higher. The probability of developing lung cancer increased particularly notably — by approximately 28%.

The most pronounced association in both countries was observed for specific types of cancer. In particular, in the Japanese group, people with chronic rhinosinusitis were more frequently diagnosed with hematological malignancies, lung cancer, and thyroid cancer.

Interestingly, a statistically significant association between the condition and an increased cancer risk, including lung cancer, was found primarily in patients with a form of rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps. In patients whose condition was accompanied by polyps, the researchers did not identify a similar pattern.

According to one of the study's authors — Professor Son H. Cho of the Morsani College of Medicine at the University of South Florida — the findings may indicate a role of chronic inflammation in cancer development mechanisms. In the specialist's opinion, this may suggest the need for closer monitoring of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis, especially in middle and older age. At the same time, the scientist emphasized that the conclusions require further validation in other populations, including residents of the United States and Europe. A corresponding analysis among American patients has already begun.

At the same time, experts urge caution in interpreting the results. Associate Professor of Otolaryngology at the University of Florida Jennifer Mulligan noted that the study has a number of limitations. According to her, factors such as obesity, smoking, and age over 40 increase the risk of both cancer and chronic rhinosinusitis. Although this makes the discovered association biologically plausible, the statistical model was unable to fully exclude the influence of these factors.