COVID-19 in Cancer and Non-cancer Patients

Abstract

Background: There is a global concern for the susceptibility of patients with cancer to the adverse effects of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Nevertheless, there is a signal of potentially increased vulnerability of patients with cancer to more COVID-19-induced mortality, this notion needs to be further evaluated in various societies with different cancer epidemiology and practice. Objectives: To investigate the outcomes of cancer patients admitted due to COVID‐19 and compare them with data of COVID‐19 infected patients without a history of cancer. Methods: In this case-control study, the medical records of patients with cancer (Ca+ patients) who infected with COVID-19 were evaluated and compared with patients without a medical history of cancer (Ca- patients). Clinical data were collected from 19 February 2020 to 17 May 2020. The extracted data were classified into demographics, underlying medical conditions, clinical manifestations, imaging and laboratory findings, and clinical outcomes. Results: A total of 24 Ca+ patients were compared with 44 Ca- patients in terms of clinical manifestations and outcomes of COVID-19. The Ca- patients significantly developed more dry cough (75.0% vs 29.2%, P = 0.01) and fever (72.7% vs 45.8%, P = 0.02). Findings of the chest CT scan was comparable between groups, except for pleural effusion and lymphadenopathy that exclusively reported in Ca+ patients. (3% and 4%, respectively). At the end of observation, 13 (19.1%) patients died from COVID-19. This rate was significantly higher in Ca+ patients (41.7 vs 6.8%, P = 001). Likewise, Ca+ patients experienced more mechanical ventilation (25.0 vs 4.7%, P = 0.01). However, the rate of ICU admission was comparable between groups (P = 0.29). Conclusions: The patients with cancer had a higher rate of mechanical ventilation and COVID-19-induced mortality.