Clinical characteristics, outcomes and follow-up of COVID-19 infection in cancer patients

Abstract 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.