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Research Article
Clinical characteristics, outcomes and follow-up of COVID-19 infection in cancer patients
Minghao Fang
Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5310-8128
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Purpose: The study is to describe the clinical characteristics, outcomes and follow-up of cancer patients with COVID-19.
Methods: Clinical records, demographic data, signs and symptoms, laboratory results, cytokine profiles, chest CT scans, comorbidities, treatments, clinical outcomes, and RT-PCR of SARS-CoV-2 after discharge were retrospectively collected for fifty-six cancer patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia who were admitted to Tongji Hospital of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China, from Feb 1 to Apr 1, 2020. Evidence of cytokine profiles were assessed by testing for the IL1β, IL2R, IL6, IL8, IL10, and TNF - α in the peripheral blood of severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infected cancer patients.
Results: Of 2143 patients with COVID-19, 56 cancer patients were included. The patients were divided into two groups, as cancer survivors, and cancer non-survivors. 12 (21%) patients with lymphopenia (0.5 [0.3-0.7]) had died during hospital stay. In non-survivors, IL2R, IL6, and IL10 were higher. 3(6.8%) cancer survivors with COVID-19 had positive RT-PCR test results again shortly after discharge.
Conclusion: The mortality rate of COVID-19 among cancer patients are considerable. Cancer non-survivors are characterized by more severe lymphopenia and a higher levels of cytokines. Recovered cancer survivors still may be virus carriers.
Keywords
COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, cancer, lymphopenia, cytokines, virus carriers
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Minghao Fang
commented on 08 June, 2020
As the SARS-CoV-2 infection has become widespread, the influence of COVID-19 on patients with cancer has got more and more attention. The author reported a retrospective study of 56 COVID-19-infected cancer patients with an high mortality and a poorer prognosis. Cancer non-survivors were characterized by more severe lymphopenia and a higher levels of cytokines. Anti-cancer therapy might have an adverse effects on the severity of COVID-19 among cancer patients. Recovered cancer survivors still might be virus carriers. Although there were some limitations for this study due to its retrospective nature and disease heterogeneity, it still contributed to the surveillance, treatment decision-making and follow-up.
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This is a preprint. It has not completed peer review.
Research Article
Clinical characteristics, outcomes and follow-up of COVID-19 infection in cancer patients
Minghao Fang
Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5310-8128
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
History
CURRENT STATUS: Posted
Version 1
Posted 08 Jun, 2020
Community comments: 1
Metrics
Comments: 1
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Purpose: The study is to describe the clinical characteristics, outcomes and follow-up of cancer patients with COVID-19.
Methods: Clinical records, demographic data, signs and symptoms, laboratory results, cytokine profiles, chest CT scans, comorbidities, treatments, clinical outcomes, and RT-PCR of SARS-CoV-2 after discharge were retrospectively collected for fifty-six cancer patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia who were admitted to Tongji Hospital of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China, from Feb 1 to Apr 1, 2020. Evidence of cytokine profiles were assessed by testing for the IL1β, IL2R, IL6, IL8, IL10, and TNF - α in the peripheral blood of severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infected cancer patients.
Results: Of 2143 patients with COVID-19, 56 cancer patients were included. The patients were divided into two groups, as cancer survivors, and cancer non-survivors. 12 (21%) patients with lymphopenia (0.5 [0.3-0.7]) had died during hospital stay. In non-survivors, IL2R, IL6, and IL10 were higher. 3(6.8%) cancer survivors with COVID-19 had positive RT-PCR test results again shortly after discharge.
Conclusion: The mortality rate of COVID-19 among cancer patients are considerable. Cancer non-survivors are characterized by more severe lymphopenia and a higher levels of cytokines. Recovered cancer survivors still may be virus carriers.
Figure 1
Minghao Fang
commented on 08 June, 2020
As the SARS-CoV-2 infection has become widespread, the influence of COVID-19 on patients with cancer has got more and more attention. The author reported a retrospective study of 56 COVID-19-infected cancer patients with an high mortality and a poorer prognosis. Cancer non-survivors were characterized by more severe lymphopenia and a higher levels of cytokines. Anti-cancer therapy might have an adverse effects on the severity of COVID-19 among cancer patients. Recovered cancer survivors still might be virus carriers. Although there were some limitations for this study due to its retrospective nature and disease heterogeneity, it still contributed to the surveillance, treatment decision-making and follow-up.