The Effect of Neutropenia and Filgrastim (G-CSF) on Cancer Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Infection.

BACKGROUND: Neutropenia is commonly encountered in cancer patients. Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF, filgrastim), a cytokine that initiates proliferation and differentiation of mature granulocytes, is widely given to oncology patients to counteract neutropenia, reducing susceptibility to infection. However, the clinical impact of neutropenia and G-CSF use in cancer patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains unknown. METHODS: An observational cohort of 379 actively treated cancer patients with COVID-19 was assembled to investigate links between concurrent neutropenia and G-CSF administration on COVID-19-associated respiratory failure and death. These factors were encoded as time-dependent predictors in an extended Cox model, controlling for age and underlying cancer diagnosis. To determine whether the degree of granulocyte response to G-CSF affected outcomes, the degree of response to G-CSF, based on rise in absolute neutrophil count (ANC) 24 hours after growth factor administration, was also incorporated into a similar Cox model. RESULTS: In the setting of active COVID-19 infection, outpatient receipt of G-CSF led to an increased number of hospitalizations (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.54, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.25-10.0, P value: .017). Furthermore, among inpatients, G-CSF administration was associated with increased need for high levels of oxygen supplementation and death (HR: 3.56, 95% CI: 1.19-10.2, P value: .024). This effect was predominantly seen in patients that exhibited a high response to G-CSF based on their ANC increase post-G-CSF administration (HR: 7.78, 95% CI: 2.05-27.9, P value: .004). CONCLUSIONS: The potential risks versus benefits of G-CSF administration should be considered in neutropenic cancer patients with COVID-19, because G-CSF administration may lead to worsening clinical and respiratory status.

Determinants of COVID-19 disease severity in patients with cancer.

As of 10 April 2020, New York State had 180,458 cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and 9,385 reported deaths. Patients with cancer comprised 8.4% of deceased individuals1. Population-based studies from China and Italy suggested a higher coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) death rate in patients with cancer2,3, although there is a knowledge gap as to which aspects of cancer and its treatment confer risk of severe COVID-194. This information is critical to balance the competing safety considerations of reducing SARS-CoV-2 exposure and cancer treatment continuation. From 10 March to 7 April 2020, 423 cases of symptomatic COVID-19 were diagnosed at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (from a total of 2,035 patients with cancer tested). Of these, 40% were hospitalized for COVID-19, 20% developed severe respiratory illness (including 9% who required mechanical ventilation) and 12% died within 30 d. Age older than 65 years and treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) were predictors for hospitalization and severe disease, whereas receipt of chemotherapy and major surgery were not. Overall, COVID-19 in patients with cancer is marked by substantial rates of hospitalization and severe outcomes. The association observed between ICI and COVID-19 outcomes in our study will need further interrogation in tumor-specific cohorts.