Outcomes of diagnosed COVID-19 cancer patients: concerning results of a systematic review

Abstract

Since the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), malignancy was shown to be prevalent in COVID-19 patients. This systematic review’s searches were conducted in MEDLINE(R), Embase, Web of Science, and Scopos. Considered for inclusion were all reports on outcomes of cancer patients diagnosed with COVID-19. A total of 1099 references were identified through database searching and manual search. Finally, 17 references comprising 88 cancer patients, diagnosed with COVID-19, were included. Prevalence of cancer patients with COVID-19 was shown to range from 0.9% to 3%. The evidence suggested a severe clinical course of 50.6% in COVID-19 diagnosed cancer patients and a mortality rate of 34.5%. Subgroup analysis according to recent anti-cancer treatment showed a similar pattern, with the most concerning results in patients receiving recent immunotherapy/immunosuppressive treatment. COVID-19 morbidity and mortality among cancer patients should be reduced by consideration of testing asymptomatic COVID-19 cancer patients, reduction of hospital visits, and consideration of anti-cancer treatment.

Keywords:

• COVID-19
• novel coronavirus
• SARS-CoV-2
• cancer
• malignancy

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Mrs. Leora Mauda, librarian at the Alfred Goldschmidt Medical Sciences Library of the Technion Institute of Technology, who provided useful assistance in the systematic literature search.

Conflict of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

C. Nahshon

Dr Chen Nahshon, Graduated the Ruth and Bruch Rappaport Faculty of Medicine of the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Israel, with honors, Summa cum Laude. Currently a resident in the Obstetrics & Gynecology department in Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.

Y. Segev

Dr Yakir Segev, Head of the Gynecological Oncology Unit at the Carmel Medical Center Haifa, Israel. He has obtained special training in gynecological oncology in the St Margaret gynecological oncology unit affiliated to the Toronto university, and has experience in both the medical oncology recent studies therapies, updates, and the surgical ones. Recently was elected as the national treasurer of the Israeli society of gynecological oncology.

M. Schmidt

Dr Meirav Schmidt, Graduated the Ruth and Bruch Rappaport Faculty of Medicine of the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Israel. Currently a senior attending in the gynecological oncology and surgery unit, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel. In charge of international gyneco-oncology research at the Gynecological Oncology Unit at the Carmel Medical Center.

T. Bar-noy

Dr Tomer Bar-noy, Graduated the Sackler Faculty of Medicine of Tel Aviv University, Israel. Currently an attending senior in the Obstetrics & Gynecology department in Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.

L. Ostrovsky

Dr Ludmila Ostrovsky, Graduated the national school of medicine at Ukraine. A well-recognized expert in obstetrics and gynecology, specializing in gynecology endoscopic surgery. Director of Endoscopic Gyneco-oncologic Unit, Carmel Medical Center.

O. Lavie

Prof Ofer Lavie, Graduated of the Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel, with honors, Summa cum Laude. He has obtained special training in medical centers including the Regional Department of Gynecology-Oncology, Q.E.H., Gateshead, U.K and the gynecological oncology unit in Stanford university – California. Past elected president of the national Israeli society of gynecological oncology. Chairman of the department of obstetrics and gynecology, Carmel Medical Center.