Certain Cancer Treatments Up COVID-19 Death Risk

Certain treatments for cancer were found to increase chances of death if they contract COVID-19, said a team of US researchers. The study was conducted by University of Cincinnati researchers and resented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Virtual Congress 2020. "Patients with cancer are susceptible to infection from Covid-19 and subsequent complications.

"They experience higher rates of hospitalization, up to 40 per cent, severe respiratory illness and death. Treatment for cancer, within four weeks of (the diagnosis of) Covid-19, was suggested to be associated with higher rates of complications, but less is known about treatment before or after that time frame," said Trisha Wise-Draper, associate professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology-Oncology at the UC College of Medicine.

Previous studies have identified that several factors increased the chance of death, including age, sex, history of smoking, and other health conditions, including active cancer.

Study Findings

• From 122 institutions, over 3,600 patients were analyzed across the country.
• 30-day fatality was highest among the cancer patients treated one to three months before coronavirus diagnosis and was increased for those treated with a chemotherapy/immunotherapy combination.
• Targeted therapies used one to three months before COVID-19 diagnosis are linked to high mortality, up to 50%.

"Also, death from any condition or reason in patients with cancer is higher than the general population, including those who have been in remission and have not received treatment in the last year".

"Death was especially high in those receiving anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies, which are normally used to deplete abnormal B cells common for certain lymphomas, one to three months prior to Covid-19 infection -- a time period for which significant B-cell depletion develops," informed Wise-Draper.

Source-Medindia