Clinical characteristics of COVID-19 infected cancer patients: A retrospective study in Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, United Kingdom

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 has been declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO)in December 2019, as it spread globally and confirmed cases approach 5,000 000 patients and will exceed 365000 deaths on the 25 May 2020 across over 160 countries. Cancer patients are one of the most vulnerable groups in the current (COVID-19) pandemic. To date, the clinical characteristics of COVID-19-infected cancer patients remain widely not well understood. Patients and methods A retrospective study was conducted in Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust for COVID-19 Cancer patients. Hospitalised cancer patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection were identified between 30th March 2020 to 30th June 2020. Patients already have been diagnosed with cancer and had a laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection were enrolled. Clinical retrospective data were collected from hospital medical records, including demographic features, clinical features, laboratory findings, and chest radiograph and chest computed tomography (CT) images. Statistical analysis was done to assess the risk factors associated with severe events which required admission to an intensive care unit, the use of mechanical ventilation, or death Results Forty Cancer patients with Covid 19 infection during the period from 30th March 2020 to 30th June 2020 were enrolled. (52.6%) 22 of patients were females. Median age was 65 years .All patients were local residents of Wolverhampton. Among the cancer patients, Breast cancer was the most frequent type of cancer (n= 9;21.1%), followed by Gl cancers (n= 8;21%) and lymphoma (n = 6;15.8%).Twenty two patients (52.6%) were diagnosed with stage I-III cancer.18 patients (47.4%) were on active chemotherapy, 3 patients were on target therapy and 3 patients(7.9%) were on active immunotherapy. In addition to cancer, 31 (81.6%) patients had at least one or more coexisting chronic diseases. The most common clinical features on admission were fever (92.1%), dry cough (86.8%), and fatigue (92%);29 (76.3%) patients developed dyspnoea along with lymphopaenia (n = 32, 84.2%), high level C-reactive protein (n = 40, 100%), anaemia (n = 22, 57.9 %), and hypoproteinaemia (n = 21, 55.3%). The common chest computed tomography (CT) findings were ground-glass opacity (n = 13) and patchy consolidation (n= 4) .It is important to note that CT chest not done in 17 patients. A total of 19 patients had severe events and the mortality rate was (44.7%) .Median days of hospital admission was (12.5).It is noted that all patients with active immunotherapy had recovered despite disease progression. Conclusions: Cancer patients have deteriorating conditions and worse outcomes from the COVID-19 infection. It is recommended that cancer patients receiving antitumour therapies should have regular screening for COVID-19 infection and should avoid treatments causing immunosuppression or have dose reduction during COVID-19 Pandemic in second wave .Covid 19 has different response with patients on active immunotherapy need to be highlighted.