Association of COVID-19 and Cancer: Risk Statistics and Management of COVID-19 in Cancer Patients

Shahzar Khan,Sadeeq Ur Rehman,Hasnain Jan,Khadija Bibi,Ayyaz Khan,Rashida Ilyas,Shah Faisal

doi:10.17987/icfj.v20i0.691

Shahzar Khan, Sadeeq Ur Rehman + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.17987/icfj.v20i0.691

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Abstract

COVID-19 is extremely lethal disease and almost 190 countries is suffering from the latest pandemic. The literature indicates that COVID-19 is more prevalent in patients with compromised immune systems. Patients with cancer are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 because of immune compromised condition due to immunosuppressive therapy. Immunotherapy results in mixing or overlap of COVID-19 associated pneumonia and immune-related pneumonitis and thus makes the diagnosis process very confusing. On the other side in this pandemic, treating cancer patients in hospital will bring a lot of risk. There is still no strong evidence on the cancer-COVID-19 connection. Yet, in this pandemic, patients with cancer should be treated as special cases. Risk management is highly needed in the critical time of this pandemic. This review highlights the association between COVID-19 and cancer, also the strategy to minimize the risk of COVID-19 in cancer patients.

Highlights

In December 2019, an outbreak of novel corona virus (COVID-19) known as (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan state, Hubei province of china was reported which spreads to other regions of China [1,2,3]
This review is an effort to highlight the association of cancer and COVID-19 and risk statistics and risk management of COVID-19 in cancer patients, there are no clear evidences on association between COVID-19 and cancer therapy
Cancer patients are highly vulnerable to COVID-19 because of the immunosuppressive therapy, targeted therapy and radiotherapy

Summary

Introduction

In December 2019, an outbreak of novel corona virus (COVID-19) known as (SARS-CoV-2) in Wuhan state, Hubei province of china was reported which spreads to other regions of China [1,2,3]. The overall CFR difference is on the basis of different testing technology in these countries as Italy first adapted a testing strategy for both symptomatic and non-symptomatic patients but when patients suffered from severe SARS-CoV-2-related ARDS, the Italian Ministry of Health decided to allow testing only in symptomatic patients who were potential candidates for hospitalization, and this decision may have resulted in a biased selection and delayed treatment of these patients In this editorial, we would like stress the identification of lung cancer patients as a specific population for testing prioritization for COVID-19 [22, 23]. A proper and reasonable treatment strategy for anticancer and epidemic prevention should be adopted i.e. avoid systemic therapy in patient having age more than 70 years and with major co-morbidities These co-morbidities are increasing the risk of COVID-19. Critical recommendations to oncologist by the Italian Association of Medical Oncology in COVID-19 pandemics The Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM) in partnership with the boards of Academic Oncologists (COMU) and of Oncology Unit Directors (CIPOMO) proposes some recommendations for the follow up patients (patients who are taking active treatment) and for their care taker and these are: (1) Immediate delay of the anticancer therapy while observing the infections of SARSCoV-2. (2) For follow up patient the oncologist should avoid the disease-free patient from routine visit to the hospital; a phone call discussion of clinical documentation may be useful in this regard. (3) For admission to the hospital the patient should come alone [18, 38]

Conclusion

Findings

Jan H et al COVID-19