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Risk of COVID-19 in Patients with Cancer Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.
Nikolai Klebanov1,2, Vartan Pahalyants1,2,3, William S Murphy1,2,3
1Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
The Oncologist
|March 30, 2021
Summary
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) did not increase the risk of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) in cancer patients. This finding supports the continued use of ICIs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) may have altered immune responses.
- Understanding the impact of ICIs on susceptibility to infections like coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence rate of COVID-19 among cancer patients receiving ICIs.
- To compare COVID-19 rates in patients on ICIs versus matched controls.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of 1,545 cancer patients treated with ICIs and 20,418 matched controls.
- Data collected from July 2019 to June 2020, including confirmed COVID-19 cases and mortality.
- Statistical analysis adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, and local infection rates.
Main Results:
- The incidence of COVID-19 was 1.4% in the ICI group and 1.0% in the control group.
- After adjusting for relevant factors, ICIs were not associated with an increased risk of COVID-19.
- No significant difference in COVID-19 susceptibility was observed between the groups.
Conclusions:
- Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) do not appear to increase the risk of developing COVID-19 in cancer patients.
- These findings can aid oncologists and patients in making informed decisions about cancer treatment during the pandemic.
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