Clinical characteristics and risk factors for mortality of hospitalized cancer patients with COVID-2019 in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Cancer patients are particularly vulnerable during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to evaluate clinical characteristics and mortality among cancer patients with COVID-19. This retrospective, observational cohort study included 53 patients with a malignancy and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 infection in a tertiary care center in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, from March 14, 2020, to October 29, 2020. Clinical, laboratory, and radiological data were collected from institutional electronic records and analyzed. Overall, 53 patients (62% male) were enrolled. The mean age of the patients was 54.9 ± 19.0 years, with 76% aged <65 years. The most common symptoms were fever (66%), dry cough (40%), and dyspnea (36%). Most infections (89%) were community acquired. Hematological malignancies (36%) were the most common cancer type. The most common solid tumors were breast cancer (23%) and colon cancer (9%). Just over half (51%) had a stage 4 tumor, and 30% of the patients had received chemotherapy within 2 weeks before the onset of COVID-19 symptoms. Initial chest radiographs showed pneumonia in 43% of patients; 38%, 9%, and 6% required oxygen support, intensive care unit admission, and invasive mechanical ventilation, respectively. The most common complication was secondary bacterial infection (13.2%). The all-cause mortality rate was 17%. In the multivariable logistic regression, dyspnea, leukocytosis, use of systemic steroids, and secondary bacterial infection were found to be risk factors for death. Hospitalized cancer patients with COVID-19 have a high mortality rate. Our study finds a correlation between multiple independent risk factors and mortality. Patients with dyspnea, leukocytosis, systemic steroid use, or secondary bacterial infection require more care, attention, and possibly more aggressive treatment.