ABSTRACT
Background: Cancer patients have been reported to be at increased for SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe course of COVID-19. Methods: Patients routinely tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA by nasal swab and Real-Time qPCR (RT-qPCR) between March 21st and May 4th 2020 were included. The results of this “cancer cohort“ were statistically compared to the SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in the Austrian population (“control cohort“) as determined by a nation-wide random sample study to define the prevalence of SARS-CoV 2 infections. Results: 1688 SARS-CoV-2 tests were performed in 1016 consecutive cancer patients. 830/1016 (81.6%) patients were undergoing active anti-cancer treatment in a neoadjuvant/adjuvant or palliative setting. 53/1016 (5·2%) patients self-reported symptoms potentially associated with COVID-19. SARS-Cov-2 was detected in 4/1016 (0·4%) patients. At the time of testing, all four SARS-CoV-2 positive patients were asymptomatic. 2/4 (50%) of the positive tested patients had recovered from symptomatic COVID-19. Viral clearance was achieved so far only in one of the four patients 14 days after testing positive. The three remaining patients have not achieved viral clearance after > 25 days of follow up. The estimated odds ratio of SARS-CoV-2 prevalence between the cancer cohort and the control cohort was 1·009 (95% CI 0·209-4·272;p=1). Conclusions: Our data indicate that continuation of active anti-cancer treatment at a large department of Medical Oncology are feasible after implementation of strict population-wide and institutional safety measures. Routine SARS-CoV-2 testing of cancer patients seems advisable to detect asymptomatic virus carriers and avoid uncontrolled viral spread. Legal entity responsible for the study: The authors. Funding: Has not received any funding. Disclosure: A.S. Berghoff: Research grant/Funding (institution), Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Daiichi Sankyo;Research grant/Funding (institution), Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Roche;Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: AbbVie. A. Starzer: Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: PharmaMar. M. Preusser: Advisory/Consultancy: Bayer;Novartis;Gerson Lehrman Group (GLG);CMC Contrast;Mundipharma;BMJ Journals;MedMedia;Astra Zeneca;Lilly;Medahead;Sanofi;Tocagen;Advisory/Consultancy, Research grant/Funding (institution): Bristol-Myers Squibb;GlaxoSmithKline;Roche;AbbVie;Daiichi Sankyo;Merck Sharp & Dome;Research grant/Funding (institution): Novocure;Böhringer-Ingelheim. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.