Clinical characteristics and outcomes in cancer patients affected by COVID-19: a study from a Peruvian cancer center

Abstract

Objective: To describe the clinical features and outcomes of COVID-19 infection in cancer patients and evaluate the risk factors associated with severe disease. Materials and methods: An observational retrospective study was performed in Oncosalud-AUNA. We included patients with diagnosis of invasive cancer with a SARS-CoV-2 confirmed infection by RT-PCR assay. Univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analysis were performed to evaluate the risk factors associated with severe desease. Results: A total of 36 patients were included. Median age was 61 years old; 36.1% males; 58.4% with ≥1 comorbidity. Breast cancer was the most frequent malignancy. 72% of patients were on anticáncer treatment. All patients were symptomatic. 16.7% were admitted to the ICU and 27.8% of patients died. The severity of disease was: mild, 27.8%; moderate, 33.3%; severe, 22.2%; and critical – ARDS, 16.7%. Patients with severe or critical disease were frequently ˃60 years old, male, in ECOG 2-3 and were receiving treatment with palliative intention. Conclusions: COVID-19 cancer patients were frequently overweight older adults with at least one comorbidity with active treatment and developed typical COVID-19 symptoms. Severe or critical COVID-19 occurred in more than one third of patients. Male patients and those ˃60 years old were at greater risk of developing severe or critical COVID-19.