COVID-19 and systemic anti-cancer therapy.

The corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to severely impact healthcare systems around the world, and patients with cancer are even worse affected owing to compromised immune status and greater exposure risk. In the present review, we retrieved the relevant literature including guidelines and consensuses directly related to the purpose of this study from the PubMed database, and then summarized the research data on cancer and COVID-19, aiming to discuss the personal protection, systemic anti-cancer therapy, outcome of co-infection, and the clinical management strategy in this population. We found that patients with malignant tumors had a higher chance of suffering COVID-19, co-infection of whom had an even worse clinical prognosis, especially for those with lung cancer or hematologic cancers. Systemic chemotherapy may delay the clearance of severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus of human body, and thus have a negative impact on the clinical outcomes of COVID-19, while certain endocrine therapy and targeted drugs having limited or no impact. There has been no sufficient evidence for the impact of immune checkpoint therapy on the outcomes of COVID-19 till now. It is of great value to strengthen the personal protection of patients, adjust the anti-tumor treatments rationally and optimize the clinical management processes.Copyright © 2022, Editorial Office of China Oncology. All rights reserved.

The impact of anti-tumor approaches on the outcomes of cancer patients with COVID-19: a meta-analysis based on 52 cohorts incorporating 9231 participants.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to investigate the impact of anti-tumor approaches (including chemotherapy, targeted therapy, endocrine therapy, immunotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy) on the outcomes of cancer patients with COVID-19. METHODS: Electronic databases were searched to identify relevant trials. The primary endpoints were severe disease and death of cancer patients treated with anti-tumor therapy before COVID-19 diagnosis. In addition, stratified analyses were implemented towards various types of anti-tumor therapy and other prognostic factors. Furthermore, odds ratios (ORs) were hereby adopted to measure the outcomes with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: As indicated in the study consisting of 9231 individuals from 52 cohorts in total, anti-tumor therapy before COVID-19 diagnosis could elevate the risk of death in cancer patients (OR: 1.21, 95%CI: 1.07-1.36, P = 0.0026) and the incidence of severe COVID-19 (OR: 1.19, 95%CI: 1.01-1.40, P = 0.0412). Among various anti-tumor approaches, chemotherapy distinguished to increase the incidence of death (OR = 1.22, 95%CI: 1.08-1.38, P = 0.0013) and severe COVID-19 (OR = 1.10, 95%CI: 1.02-1.18, P = 0.0165) as to cancer patients with COVID-19. Moreover, for cancer patients with COVID-19, surgery and targeted therapy could add to the risk of death (OR = 1.27, 95%CI: 1.00-1.61, P = 0.0472), and the incidence of severe COVID-19 (OR = 1.14, 95%CI: 1.01-1.30, P = 0.0357) respectively. In the subgroup analysis, the incidence of death (OR = 1.17, 95%CI: 1.03-1.34, P = 0.0158) raised in case of chemotherapy adopted for solid tumor with COVID-19. Besides, age, gender, hypertension, COPD, smoking and lung cancer all served as potential prognostic factors for both death and severe disease of cancer patients with COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: Anti-tumor therapy, especially chemotherapy, augmented the risk of severe disease and death for cancer patients with COVID-19, so did surgery for the risk of death and targeted therapy for the incidence of severe COVID-19.

COVID-19 and systemic anti-cancer therapy

［］ The corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to severely impact healthcare systems around the world, and patients with cancer are even worse affected owing to compromised immune status and greater exposure risk. In the present review, we retrieved the relevant literature including guidelines and consensuses directly related to the purpose of this study from the PubMed database, and then summarized the research data on cancer and COVID-19, aiming to discuss the personal protection, systemic anti-cancer therapy, outcome of co-infection, and the clinical management strategy in this population. We found that patients with malignant tumors had a higher chance of suffering COVID-19, co-infection of whom had an even worse clinical prognosis, especially for those with lung cancer or hematologic cancers. Systemic chemotherapy may delay the clearance of severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus of human body, and thus have a negative impact on the clinical outcomes of COVID-19, while certain endocrine therapy and targeted drugs having limited or no impact. There has been no sufficient evidence for the impact of immune checkpoint therapy on the outcomes of COVID-19 till now. It is of great value to strengthen the personal protection of patients, adjust the anti-tumor treatments rationally and optimize the clinical management processes. © 2022, Editorial Office of China Oncology. All rights reserved.