COVID-19 and cancer: Sailing through the tides.

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 (coronavirus disease) pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 with its rapid expansion has led to extraordinary implications in our understanding of viral infections and their management globally. In this current scenario of unusual circumstances and public health emergency, the cancer care per se is facing unprecedented challenges. The peculiarity of the SARS-CoV-2 infections is still being uncovered as the pandemic spreads across the populations than showing signs of its curtailment. The review highlights the significance of idiosyncrasy of the SARS-Cov-2 infection especially putting forth the importance of immunosenescence, both in the COVID-19 specific immune response in the infected lungs of the elderly and in the cancer patients infected with SARS-CoV-2.The focus of the article is directed towards demystifying the unparalleled essence of a proprotein convertase, Furin in the biology of the SARS-Cov-2 infection and its role in facilitating viral transmission through expedited cellular entry into alveolar epithelial cells in COVID-19 infected cancer patients. The risk stratification of the cancer treatment and guidelines shaped up by national and international oncology societies in providing uncompromised patient care during the COVID-19 crisis have also been addressed. The global efforts towards vaccination in developing SARS CoV-2 immunity are also discussed in this article.