Clinical characteristics and outcomes of cancer patients with COVID-19

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ABSTRACT

This retrospective study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics and outcomes of cancer patients with novel coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19).

Medical records, laboratory results, and radiological findings were collected from 52 cancer patients with COVID-19, and clinical characteristics and outcomes were summarized:

• The median age of 52 cancer patients with COVID-19 was 63 years (34-98).
• Thirty-three (63.5%) patients were mild and 19 (36.5%) were severe/critical.
• Lung cancer was the most common type of cancer (10, 19.2%).
• Common symptoms were as follows: fever (25%), dry cough (17.3%), chest difficulty (11.5%), and fatigue (9.6%).
• There were 33 (63.5%) patients with comorbidities with the most common symptom being hypertension (17, 51.5%).
• Twenty-six (78.8%) patients developed pneumonia on admission.
• Lymphocytes (0.6 × 109/L) decreased in both mild and severe/critical patients.
• The mean levels of D-dimer, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and lactate dehydrogenase were 2.8 mg/L, 70.5 mg/L, 0.3 ng/mL, and 318 U/L, respectively, which were significantly increased in severe/critical patients compared to mild patients. Interleukin-6 (12.6 pg/mL) increased in both mild and severe/critical patients with a significant difference between them.
• Complications were observed in 29 (55.8%) patients:
  • liver injury (19, 36.5%)
  • acute respiratory distress syndrome (9, 17.3%)
  • sepsis (8, 15.4%)
  • myocardial injury (8, 15.4%)
  • kidney failure (4, 7.7%) and
  • multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (3, 5.8%).
  • Eleven (21,2%) cancer patients died.

The infection rate of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in cancer patients was higher than in the general population. Cancer patients with COVID-19 showed deteriorated conditions and poor outcomes.