Emergency oncology admissions during COVID-19 pandemic: a major institution experience from Saudi Arabia

The WHO has declared the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in March 2020. Cancer patients are considered a highly susceptible group. The effect of this pandemic on cancer mortality is still unknown.

Our aim is to know whether or not we need to postpone cancer treatment during viral pandemics in the future.

A retrospective observational study from March 1, 2020 to June 1, 2020, included cancer patients on active treatment, who have been admitted to our oncology center through the emergency unit, and patients who received oncology treatment in the outpatient treatment unit. COVID-19 positive cases were identified based on polymerase chain reaction testing of nasopharyngeal swab.

A total of 1300 patients was included in the study, 1096 patients attended the outpatient clinics, 204 patients were admitted to our oncology floor for emergency care. The cancer diagnosis was mainly breast cancer, followed by colon cancer. The main cause of emergency room visit was mainly fever followed by pain. Admission diagnosis was mainly disease progression followed by symptom control, COVID-19 infection, and febrile neutropenia. 1288 cycles of anticancer therapy were provided to 513 patients in the outpatient treatment unit. Three out of the nineteen patients who had a confirmed COVID-19 infection (16%) died not only due to infection, but also disease progression.

Cancer treatment is not a risk factor for COVID-19 infection or its complications. Cancer treatment should not be interrupted during viral pandemics and every effort should be made to give cancer patients the standard of care.