Clinical characteristics of four cancer patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection in Wuhan, China

Abstract Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) led to the outbreak of pneumonia in Wuhan, and rapidly spread throughout China. The virus is highly infectious and can infect individuals in the community, including patients in the hospital. Patients with cancer might be susceptible to the viral infection because of the immunosuppressive state cause by therapies on tumors. Case presentation: We present the clinical features of four cancer patients who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the past month in our hospital. One patient with uncontrolled chronic B cell lymphocytic leukemia and many other underlying diseases was killed by the virus, and the other three patients survived. Nearly all patients showed a decrease in lymphocytes including total CD3+ T cells, B cells, and natural killer cells after infection of the virus. Conclusion: This report suggests that the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection in cancer patients is challenged by the immunosuppressive state of these patients under chemotherapy or surgery.