Table 1.
Studies on COVID-19 in cancer patients
| First author, year and month (country) | Type of cancer | Objective | Cancer cohort size | Methodology and duration of study | Significant findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpert, 2020 November59 (USA) | S, H | Compared clinical characteristics of COVID-19 patients with and without cancer | 421 (S 325, H 96) | Retrospective. In-patient or emergency care at Mount Sinai Health System (March–May 2020) | Cancer patients – higher risk for adverse outcomes (thromboembolism, sepsis). No difference in AKI, ICU admissions and mortality |
| Bange, 2020 May86 (USA) | H | Compared mortality in haematologic and solid cancer patients with COVID-19 | 100 | Prospective, multicentre, observational (April–September 2020) | Haematologic cancer – higher mortality than solid cancer. Those with high CD8 T cell responses had better outcomes |
| Bernard, 2021 March7 (France) | S, H | Compare clinical findings in hospitalised patients | 6201 | Retrospective study. Assessed French national database of hospitalized COVID-19 patients (March–April 2020) | COVID-19 and cancer – twofold higher risk of death vs COVID-19 without cancer. Blood cancer – admission to ICU significantly more frequent (24.8% vs 16.4%). Lung, digestive (excluding colorectal cancer) and metastatic solid cancers – higher risk of death |
| Cai, 2021 January87 (China) | S, H | COVID-19 with cancer vs those without cancer | 93 | Multicentre, retrospective, cohort study. Compared the immunological characteristics of both cancer and non-cancer patients (February–March 2020) | COVID-19 patients with cancer – poorer prognosis vs non-cancer patients due to dysregulated immune responses. Higher mortality in patients with cancer compared with healthy controls |
| Calles, 2020 September60 (Spain) | S (lung) | Assess outcomes of lung cancer patients affected by COVID-19 | 23 | Prospective study. Evaluated patients with lung cancer treated at a medical centre in Spain and diagnosed with COVID-19 (March–May 2020) | Lung cancer patients – high rate of hospitalization, onset of ARDS and high mortality rate |
| Cattaneo, 2020 September61 (Italy) | H | Determine clinical characteristics and risk factors for mortality in haematologic patients affected by COVID-19 | 102 | Retrospective cohort study. (March 2020) | Chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms – lower risk of acquiring COVID-19. Immune-mediated anaemia and on immunosuppressive-related treatments – higher risk of acquiring COVID-19. Haematologic patients – higher mortality than non-haematologic patients with COVID-19 and uninfected haematologic patients. Worst prognosis among patients on active haematologic treatment |
| Chai, 2021 July57 (China) | S, H | Assess mortality and consequences of COVID-19 in cancer patients | 166 | Multicentre comparative cohort study. Compared COVID-19 patients with cancer and non-cancer COVID-19 patients and non-COVID cancer patients (January–March 2020) | If cancer patients with COVID-19 survive acute COVID-19 infection, long-term mortality appears similar to the cancer patients without COVID-19 and their long-term clinical sequelae are similar to COVID-19 patients without cancer. High risk – haematologic, nasopharyngeal, brain, digestive system and lung tumours. Moderate risk – genitourinary, female genital, breast and thyroid tumours |
| Costa, 2021 August58 (Brazil) | S, H | Evaluate risk factors of in-hospital mortality among COVID-19 patients with and without cancer | Cancer: 7406; no Cancer: 315 410 | Retrospective study (March–December 2020) | COVID-19 patients with cancer – higher disease severity, higher risk of mortality, longer hospital stay, higher ICU admissions, receive more invasive mechanical ventilation than patients without cancer. Haematologic neoplasia – higher risk of mortality than solid tumours |
| Crolley, 2020 October62 (UK) | S, H | Assess whether cancer patients (on systemic anticancer therapies) are at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 or having more severe outcomes | 68 | Retrospective study (March–May 2020) | Patients on SACT – higher mortality if they contract COVID-19. Receiving chemotherapy – increased risk of developing COVID-19 (high-dose chemotherapy – significantly high risk). Respiratory or intrathoracic neoplasm – increased risk of developing COVID-19. Receiving targeted treatment – protective effect. Solid vs haematologic cancer – no significant effect on risk |
| Dai, 2020 January63 (China) | S, H | Determine clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 patients with cancer | 105 | Multicentre retrospective study (January–February 2020) | COVID-19 patients with cancer – higher risks of severe outcomes. Haematologic cancer, lung cancer or with metastatic cancer (stage 4) – highest frequency of severe events. Non-metastatic cancer – frequency of severe conditions similar to patients without cancer. Patients who underwent surgery – had higher risks of severe events. Only radiotherapy – no significant differences in severe events compared to patients without cancer |
| De Azambuja, 2020 August64 (Belgium) | S | Determine the in-hospital mortality within 30 d of COVID-19 diagnosis among patients with solid cancer compared with patients without cancer | Cancer: 1187; no cancer: 12 407 | Retrospective study. Data from adult patients registered until 24 May 2020 in the Belgian nationwide database of Sciensano were used (April–May 2020) | Solid cancer – adverse prognostic factor for in-hospital mortality. Younger patients and without other comorbidities – adverse effect more pronounced |
| De Melo, 2020 October21 (Brazil) | S, H | Describe the outcomes, demographics and clinical characteristics of cancer in patients with COVID-19 | 181 | Retrospective cohort study. Cancer patients admitted to the Brazilian National Cancer Institute were assessed (April–May 2020) | Cancer – important prognostic factor for patients with COVID-19. Higher rates of complications (respiratory failure, septic shock, AKI) and COVID-19-specific death. COVID-19-specific mortality associated with age >75 y, metastatic cancer, ≥2 sites of metastases, presence of lung/bone metastases, non-curative treatment or best supportive care intent, higher CRP levels, admission due to COVID-19 and antibiotics use |
| Elkrief, 2020 November65 (Canada) | S, H | Determine the incidence and impact of hospital-acquired COVID-19 in cancer patients | 252 | Prospective observational cohort study. Used provincial registries and hospital databases (March–May 2020) | Hospital-acquired COVID-19-increased mortality in the cancer population. Age and advanced stage of cancer were negative predictive factors for COVID-19 severity |
| Erdal, 2021 January22 (Turkey) | S, H | Investigate clinical course and the factors affecting mortality in cancer patients affected by COVID-19 | 77 | Single-centre retrospective study. Compared cancer patients with non-cancer patients who were admitted to a hospital in Istanbul with COVID-19 infection (March–May 2020) | Cancer patients – severe disease and mortality higher vs non-cancer patients. Associations with severe disease and mortality – stage of the disease, receiving chemotherapy in the last 30 d, lymphopenia, elevated troponin I, D-dimer and CRP. Most important factors influencing survival – severe lung involvement and lymphopenia |
| Fernandes, 2021 February88 (Brazil) | S, H | To analyse COVID-19 mortality in cancer patients and associated factors | 51 | Cross-sectional retrospective study (April–August 2020) | Higher fatality – lung and haematologic cancers, age >60 y, currently undergoing cancer treatment |
| Ferrari, 2021 January89 (Brazil) | S, H | Investigate the predictors of death after COVID-19 diagnosis in patients with cancer | S: 167; H: 31 | Longitudinal multicentre cohort study (March–July 2020) | Factors associated with death – age ≥60 y, current/former smoking, coexisting comorbidities, respiratory tract cancer. COVID-19 rates similar to general population if otherwise healthy and have curable malignancies |
| Fillmore, 2020 October66 (USA) | S, H | Evaluate prevalence and outcome of COVID-19 infection in cancer patients and identify risk factors associated with infection and outcomes | 1794 | Retrospective study. Data from the Veterans Affairs Corporate Data Warehouse (January–May 2020) | Cancer – high susceptibility to COVID-19 infection and severe eventual outcome. Determinants of mortality – age, comorbidity and specific cancer types. COVID-19-attributable mortality similar in patients recently treated for cancer vs treated >6 months ago or never treated with systemic therapy. Mortality in patients using ICI within the last 6 months significantly lower (7%) vs patients receiving chemotherapy (14.0%), hormone therapy (16.2%) or targeted therapy (14.1%) |
| Ganatra, 2020 November67 (USA) | S, H | Evaluate outcomes in patients with COVID-19 with both cancer and comorbid CVD | Total: 2476; cancer: 195 | Retrospective study (March–May 2020) | Cancer was an independent predictor of severe disease. Patients with both cancer and CVD had a higher risk of severe disease and death vs only cancer or only CVD. Arrhythmias and encephalopathy more frequent with both cancer and CVD vs cancer alone |
| Grivas, 2021 June3 (USA) | S, H | Identify prognostic clinical factors, including laboratory measurements and anticancer therapies | 4966 | Retrospective, observational cohort study (March–November 2020) | Associations with higher COVID-19 severity – older age, male sex, obesity, cardiovascular and pulmonary comorbidities, renal disease, diabetes mellitus, non-Hispanic black race, Hispanic ethnicity, performance status, recent cytotoxic chemotherapy and haematologic malignancy. Among hospitalized patients, associations with higher COVID-19 severity – low/high absolute lymphocyte count, high absolute neutrophil count, low platelet count, abnormal creatinine, troponin, lactate dehydrogenase, and CRP. Higher mortality with anticancer therapies like R-CHOP, platinum combined with etoposide and DNA methyltransferase inhibitors |
| Höllein, 2021 January90 (Germany) | S, H | Determine the immune competence of individual patients by assessing absolute numbers of CD4+ T-cells, CD8+ T-cells, CD19+ B cells and CD16+/CD56+ NK cells in peripheral blood | S: 5; H: 12 | Retrospective study. Patients with cancer and COVID-19 treated in haematology and oncology centres from the greater Munich area (March–May 2020) | Haematologic cancers – higher risk for a severe course of COVID-19 compared with solid tumours. Cancer patients – higher risk of dying from COVID-19 than patients without cancer |
| Jee, 2020 August68 (USA) | S, H | Analyse the outcomes of cancer patients with COVID-19 and determine the impact of recent cytotoxic chemotherapy | 309 | Retrospective study. Patients with cancer and concurrent COVID-19 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre (March–April 2020) | Recent cytotoxic chemotherapy treatment not associated with adverse COVID-19 outcomes. Associations with worse outcomes – active haematologic or lung malignancies, peri-COVID-19 lymphopenia or baseline neutropenia. Rate of adverse events lower in cancer patients without COVID-19 |
| Kabarriti, 2020 August69 (USA) | S (lung) | Assess impact of prior lung irradiation on death as a result of COVID-19 infection | 107 | Retrospective study (March–April 2020) | History of radiation therapy (between 1 month and 1 y before COVID-19 testing) for cancer – poor prognosis. Mortality risk associated with the extent of lung irradiation |
| Khusid, 2021 February91 (USA) | S, H | Evaluate COVID-19 patients with a history of malignancy with regard to adverse clinical outcomes | 374 | Multicentre retrospective cohort study (March 2020–August 2020) | History of cancer – no greater risk for AKI or ICU admissions but higher risk for mortality vs without a history of cancer. Pulmonary neoplasm – higher mortality. History of genitourinary malignancies – not at higher risk for AKI or for mortality compared with the general population |
| Kuderer, 2020 June29 (USA, Canada and Spain) | S, H | Characterise the outcomes of patients with cancer and COVID-19 and identify potential prognostic factors for mortality and severe illness | 928 | Retrospective cohort study. Data on cancer patients ≥18 y of age with COVID-19 infection from the USA, Canada and Spain from the COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium database (March–April 2020) | 30-d all-cause mortality high in cancer patients. Associated with general risk factors and risk factors unique to patients with cancer (cancer status –remission vs active disease, responding to treatment vs progressing, active anticancer therapy). No associations with mortality – race and ethnicity, obesity status, cancer type, type of anticancer therapy and recent surgery |
| Lara Álvarez, 2020 September70 (Spain) | S | Determine the mortality due to COVID-19 in cancer patients during the first 3 weeks of the epidemic | 36 cancer (15 deaths), 1033 non-cancer (117 deaths) | Retrospective study. Cancer patients who died of COVID-19 were reviewed (March 2020) | COVID-19 mortality in cancer patients four times higher than that of the general population |
| Lara, 2020 July71 (USA) | S (gynaecologic cancer) | Determine the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with gynaecologic cancer with COVID-19 infection | 121 | Retrospective, observational study (March–April 2020) | Mortality 14% (risk of death similar to the age-specific mortality risk). Associations with increased risk of mortality – recent immunotherapy use. Associations with hospitalization – age ≥64 y, African American race and ≥3 comorbidities. Chemotherapy and recent major surgery not predictive of COVID-19 severity or mortality |
| Larfors, 2020 December92 (Sweden) | S, H | Evaluate COVID-19 intensive care admissions and mortality among patients with cancer | 2278 cancer and non-cancer COVID patients admitted to the ICU (104 cancer patients); 5027 total deaths (461 cancer patients) | Retrospective, observational study. Data extracted from the Swedish Intensive Care Registry (March–June 2020) | Patients with cancer had a higher risk of intensive care need and death |
| Lee, 2020 June108 (UK) | S, H | Describe the clinical and demographic characteristics and COVID-19 outcomes in patients with cancer | 800 | Prospective cohort study (March–April 2020) | Associations with risk of death – advanced age, male gender, presence of other comorbidities such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Chemotherapy in the past 4 weeks had no significant effect on mortality vs patients with cancer who had not received recent chemotherapy. Immunotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy or radiotherapy use within the past 4 weeks had no significant effect on mortality |
| Lee, 2020 October107 (UK) | S, H | Determine COVID-19 risk according to tumour subtype and patient demographics in patients with cancer | 1044 | Prospective cohort study (March–May 2020) | Associations with risk of death – increasing age. Haematologic malignancies had a more severe COVID-19 clinical course compared with solid organ tumours. Patients with leukaemia – significantly increased case fatality rate. Haematologic malignancies with recent chemotherapy – increased risk of death during COVID-19-associated hospital admission |
| Liang, 2021 March93 (China) | S, H | Assess the clinical characteristics and risk factors for mortality in cancer patients with COVID-19 | 109 | Retrospective study (January–March 2020) | Cancer patients – higher risk of COVID-19 infection and poorer prognosis vs patients without cancer. Higher risk of mortality in advanced tumour stage or recent adjuvant therapy (<1 month) |
| Lunski, 2020 October94 (USA) | No specific type of cancer mentioned | Evaluate the difference in mortality from COVID-19 between patients with cancer and patients without cancer | Cancer: 312; without cancer: 4833 | Retrospective study (March–April 2020) | Patients with cancer – higher mortality vs controls. Greatest risk – patients with cancer age ≥65 y and those with certain comorbidities, male sex, history of CKD, obesity or recent therapy. Laboratory measures – decreased absolute lymphocyte counts, thrombocytopenia, elevated creatinine, lactic acidosis and elevated procalcitonin increased the risk of death |
| Mangone, 2021 April95 (Italy) | S, H | Evaluate the impact of having had cancer on COVID-19 risk and prognosis during the first wave of the pandemic | 407 | Population-based cohort study. Used registry data from the Reggio Emilia province (January–May 2020) | Cancer patients – greater risk of hospitalization and death, especially if <70 y of age or recent diagnosis. Greatest risk of hospitalization – cancers of the GI tract, lymphoma or other haematologic neoplasms. Strongest excess mortality – cancer of the urinary tract, other haematologic neoplasms, melanoma and female genital organs |
| Mehta, 2020 July72 (USA) | S, H | Evaluate case fatality rate of different cancer types who acquired with COVID-19 | 218 | Retrospective study (March–April 2020) | Cancer patients – significant increase in mortality. Highest susceptibility in haematologic or lung malignancies |
| Meng, 2020 June73 (China) | S, H | Evaluate the risk of cancer history and mortality in COVID-19 patients | 109 | Retrospective study (January–March 2020) | Cancer patients with COVID-19 – higher risk of mortality. Cancer history only independent risk factor for COVID-19. Haematologic malignancies – worse clinical outcomes (mortality rate twice that of patients with solid tumours [50% vs 26.1%]). Elevations in ferritin, high-sensitivity CRP, ESR, procalcitonin, prothrombin time, IL-2 receptor and IL-6 seen in cancer patients |
| Mohamed, 2021 January96 (UK) | S (renal transplant patients) | Compare waitlisted and transplant patients who got COVID-19 and assess clinical outcomes | 60 (32 active waitlisted patients and 28 functioning renal transplants) | Single-centre prospective study. COVID-19-positive waitlisted and transplant patients were compared and assess clinical outcomes were assessed (beginning of the pandemic–end of April 2020) | Both groups – CRP at 48 h and peak CRP associated with mortality. Incidence of COVID-19 higher in the waitlisted population. Transplant patients have more severe disease and higher mortality. CRP at 48 h can be used as a predictive tool |
| Mushtaq, 2021 September97 (USA) | H (HSCT) | Evaluate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 in HSCT and CAR T cell therapy recipients | 58 HCT/CAR T cell therapy patients (32 allogeneic HSCT, 23 autologous HSCT) | Single-centre prospective study (March–May 2021) | COVID-19 caused significant mortality in patients undergoing HCT and CAR T cell therapy, especially among allogenic HCT recipients |
| Nakamura, 2020 November98 (Japan) | S, H | Evaluate the association between clinical outcomes and potential prognostic factors | 32 | Retrospective study (January–May 2020) | Associations with mortality – lymphocyte count, albumin, LDH, serum ferritin and CRP on admission. Patients who received cytotoxic chemotherapy recently or were treated with chemotherapy had a poor prognosis and prolonged periods of viral shedding |
| Nie, 2020 November99 (China) | S (lung) | Determine the clinical characteristics and risk factors for in-hospital mortality of lung cancer patients with COVID-19 | 45 | Multicentre retrospective study (January–May 2020) | Lung cancer patients – atypical presentation of COVID-19. Associations with increased risk of in-hospital mortality – prolonged PT and elevated high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I |
| Pinato, 2020 July74 (UK) | S, H | Describe the outcomes in cancer patients during the initial outbreak of COVID-19 in Europe | 204 | Retrospective, multicentre observational study (February–April 2020) | Associations with mortality – age ≥65 y, multiple comorbidities. No associations – tumour stage, disease activity, provision of active anticancer therapy at COVID-19 diagnosis |
| Ramachandran, 2020 October75 (USA) | S, H | Compare clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with and without a cancer history who were infected with COVID-19 | Cancer 53; non-cancer 135 | Retrospective observational study (March–April 2020) | Cancer patients – higher levels of lactic acidosis, CRP, LDH and ALP vs non-cancer patients. Age ≥60 y – rapid clinical deterioration. Higher mortality – age ≥60 y, especially when they had concomitant hypertension and elevated levels of CRP and LDH |
| Rogado, 2020 August77 (Spain) | S (lung) | Determine whether there is a difference in incidence and severity of COVID-19 infection in lung cancer patients | 17 | Retrospective study (March–April 2020) | Lung cancer patients had a higher mortality rate than the general population |
| Rogado, 2020 May76 (Spain) | S | Describe COVID-19 cumulative incidence, treatment outcome, mortality and associated risk factors | 45 | Retrospective study. Reviewed medical records of cancer patients admitted at an oncology department between 1 February and 7 April 2020 (February–April 2020) | Cancer patients – vulnerable to COVID-19, increased complications. Indicators of mortality – severity of the infection at admission, elderly patients |
| Rogiers Aljosja, 2021 January100 (multiple countries) | S (mainly melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, renal cell carcinoma) | Determine clinical impact of COVID-19 on patients with cancer treated with ICIs | 110 | Multicentre, retrospective, cohort study. 19 centres across 9 countries (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, The Netherlands, UK and USA) (March–May 2020) | Cancer patients – higher risk of severe COVID-19 infection vs individuals without comorbidities. Treatment with ICI not associated with severe COVID-19 infection in patients with cancer. Increased risk for hospital admission – treatment with combination ICI and the presence of COVID-19 symptoms |
| Russell, 2020 July78 (UK) | S, H | Determine factors affecting COVID-19 outcomes in cancer patients | 156 | Retrospective study (February–May 2020) | Associations with severe COVID-19 – initial cancer diagnosis >24 months before COVID-19, presenting with fever, dyspnoea, GI symptoms and higher levels of CRP. Associations with COVID-19 death – Asian ethnicity, receiving palliative treatment, having an initial cancer diagnosis >24 months before, dyspnoea and increased CRP levels. Inverse association observed with increased levels of albumin |
| Rüthrich, 2020 November101 (Europe) | S, H | Determine the clinical characteristics and outcomes | Cancer: 435; non-cancer 2636 | Retrospective study (March–August 2020) | Associations of higher mortality – male sex, advanced age and active malignancy. Outcome of COVID-19 comparable after adjusting for age, sex and comorbidities for cancer vs non-cancer patients |
| Safari, 2021 August102 (Iran) | S, H | Investigate the epidemiology of cancer patients and identify risk factors affecting their mortality | 66 | Retrospective cohort study of hospitalized patients with cancer and COVID-19 in Hamadan (2020) | Factors influencing death – nausea, mechanical ventilation, admission to the ICU and length of hospital stay in the ward |
| Sharma, 2021 March103 (USA) | H (allogeneic HSCT recipients) | Describe the characteristics and outcomes of HSCT recipients after developing COVID-19 | 318 | Observational cohort study (March–August 2020) | Recipients of autologous and allogeneic HSCT – poor survival. Associations with higher risk of mortality – age ≥50 y, male sex, development of COVID-19 ≤12 months after transplantation. Disease indication of lymphoma associated with a higher risk of mortality vs plasma cell disorder/myeloma |
| Sorouri, 2020 December79 (Iran) | S, H | Determine the clinical characteristics, outcomes and risk factors for mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and cancer | Cancer 53; non-cancer 106 | Case–control study (February–April 2020) | Associations with mortality – dyspnoea, history of cancer, impaired consciousness level, tachypnoea, tachycardia, leucocytosis and thrombocytopenia. Haematologic cancer had a higher mortality than solid tumours (63% vs 37%) |
| Sun, 2021 January104 (USA) | S, H | Outcomes in cancer compared with non-cancer patients who got COVID-19 | Cancer 67; non-cancer 256 | Retrospective study. Cancer patients and non-cancer patients were compared (June 2020) | Associations with higher hospitalization and mortality – smoking status, comorbidities and a diagnosis of cancer |
| Tian, 2020 July5 (China) | S, H (malignant solid tumours and haematologic malignancy) | Determine clinical features and determine risk factors of COVID-19 disease severity for patients with cancer and COVID-19 | 232 | Multicentre, retrospective, cohort study (January–March 2020) | Patients with cancer – severe COVID. Risk factors – elevated TNF-α and NT-proBNP and decreased CD4+ T cells or albumin:globulin ratio, advanced tumour stage (previously reported risk factors of older age; elevated IL-6, procalcitonin and D-dimer; and decreased lymphocytes) |
| Trapani, 2020 December105 (Italy) | S (solid organ transplantation recipients) | Compare risk of infection, hospitalization and admission in the ICU and mortality among solid organ transplant recipients and non-solid organ transplant recipients who got COVID-19 | 450 | Nationwide population-based study. Assessed the cumulative incidence and outcome of COVID-19 in solid organ transplant recipients and compared the results with those of COVID-19 non-transplanted patients (January–June 2020) | Higher mortality (30.6%) in transplant patients than in non-solid organ transplant recipients (15.4%). Solid organ transplant recipients – higher risk of infection, hospitalization and admission in the ICU and mortality vs non-solid organ transplant recipients |
| Wang, 2020 May80 (China) | S, H | Assess the clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19-infected cancer patients | 283 | Retrospective study. Data of cancer patients admitted to 33 designated hospitals for COVID-19 in Hubei province, China (December 2019–March 2020) | Associations with worse outcome – current cancer patients (vs former cancer patients), lymphohaematopoietic malignancies. Mortality higher among patients receiving recent chemotherapy (33%), surgery (26%), other anti-tumour treatments (19%) and no anti-tumour treatment (15%) |
| Wang, 2020 December106 (USA) | S, H | Investigate how patients with specific types of cancer are at risk for COVID-19 infection and its adverse outcomes and to study cancer-specific race disparities for COVID-19 infection | 1200 | Retrospective case–control study (August 2020) | Patients with cancer had a high risk for COVID-19 infection and worse outcomes. This was further exacerbated among African Americans |
| Yang, 2020 May81 (China) | S | Determine clinical characteristics and outcomes of cancer patients with COVID‐19 | 52 | Retrospective study (January–April 2020) | Cancer patients had a higher risk of COVID-19 vs the general population. Complications – liver injury, ARDS, sepsis, myocardial injury, renal insufficiency and MODS are common in cancer patients |
| Yang, 2020 July82 (China) | S, H | Describe clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with cancer and COVID-19 and examine risk factors for mortality | 205 | Retrospective, multicentre, cohort study (January–March 2020) | Poor prognosis (death during admission to hospital) – haematologic malignancies (vs solid tumours), receiving chemotherapy within 4 weeks before symptom onset and male sex were risk factors |
| Zhang, 2020 October83 (China) | S (breast) | Evaluate characteristics and outcomes of breast cancer patients infected with COVID-19 | 35 | Retrospective study. Five designated tertiary hospitals for the treatment of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China (January–May 2020) | Breast cancer patients had less severe disease compared with other cancer patients when infected with COVID-19 |
| Zhang, 2020 July84 (China) | S | Determine clinical characteristics of COVID-19-infected cancer patients and assess the risk factors associated with severe events | 28 | Retrospective cohort study (January–February 2020) | Cancer patients – poor outcomes. Risk factors for severe disease – last anti-tumour treatment within 14 d, patchy consolidation on CT on admission |
| Zhou, 2020 July85 (China) | H | Determine the clinical characteristics of haematologic patients who were infected with COVID-19 | 9 | Retrospective study (February 2020) | Patients had atypical clinical features, defective viral clearance and a lower level of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies |
AKI: acute kidney injury; ALP: alkaline phosphatase; ARDS: acute respiratory distress syndrome; CAR: chimeric antigen receptor; CKD: chronic kidney disease; CRP: C-reactive protein; CT: computed tomography; CVD: cardiovascular disease; ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate; GI: gastrointestinal; H: haematologic cancer; HCT: haematocrit; HSCT: haematopoietic stem cell transplant; ICI: immune checkpoint inhibitor; IL: interleukin; LDH: lactate dehydrogenase; MODS: multiorgan dysfunction syndrome; NK: natural killer; NT-proBNP: N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide; PT: prothrombin time; R-CHOP: rituximab, cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, vincristine sulphate and prednisone; S: solid cancer; SACT: systemic anticancer therapy; TNF: tumour necrosis factor.