Elsevier

Seminars in Oncology

Volume 48, Issue 2, April 2021, Pages 145-151
Seminars in Oncology

Incidence of COVID-19 in outpatients with cancer receiving active treatment in the context of a pandemic: An Andalusian cohort study

https://doi.org/10.1053/j.seminoncol.2021.01.002Get rights and content

Abstract

Background

Leading scientific societies have recommended delaying and/or suspending active cancer treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, data on this novel infection in patients with a diagnosis of cancer receiving active treatment are scarce and it is unknown if these recommendations could have repercussions on future progress of the disease. The main objective of this study is to learn the COVID-19 incidence rate in outpatients with cancer receiving active treatment.

Methods

This work is a retrospective cohort study that included all patients with a diagnosis of cancer who received active cancer treatment in two Andalusian hospitals between February 26 and May 13, 2020. Variables regarding the patient, tumor, and development of COVID-19 were collected. A descriptive analysis was performed and the cumulative incidence of COVID-19 in these patients was evaluated.

Results

A total of 673 patients were included. The median age was 62 years. There was a low rate of comorbidity and 12.1% had an ECOG >2. Breast cancer was the most common cancer (41%), followed by colorectal and lung cancer. Stage IV cancer was reported in 52.7% of patients. The most common treatment was chemotherapy (53.9%). Treatment was delayed or suspended in 6% of patients. Only three patients developed COVID-19. The cumulative incidence was 0.44% and one person died due to infection.

Conclusions

In the present retrospective cohort study we found a low incidence of COVID-19 infection in patients with cancer receiving active treatment in an outpatient setting. The sociodemographic factors of Andalusia may explain why these results differ from those presented by other colleagues in Spain, but raise questions about whether universal recommendations may put the benefits of antineoplastic therapy at risk.

Keywords

COVID-19
Cancer
Active treatment
Outpatients
Incidence
Chemotherapy

Cited by (0)

We would like to thank the Research Unit of the Costa del Sol Healthcare Agency for their support in the translation of the manuscript.

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