Immunotherapy in cancer patients in COVID-19 era

ABSTRACT

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic is concerning for patients with cancer who are receiving immunotherapy. COVID-19 has had a major impact on cancer and clinical trials, affecting treatment and oncology patients in a number of different ways. Immunotherapy has also been found to have a durable treatment response in patients after just a few courses of therapy, for example in cases where patients can't continue with their treatment. The drugs reveal the cancer to the body's immune system, turning it against the cancer and, when treatment stops, the immune system can continue killing the cancer itself. Uncertainty remains about whether immunotherapies increase the risk of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 or increase the risk of severe disease and death upon infection.