Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 and Cancer History: A Multicenter...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Infectious Diseases
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• Cancer patients are immunocompromised, increasing vulnerability to opportunistic infections like COVID-19.
• Understanding clinical differences between cancer and non-cancer patients with COVID-19 is crucial for risk stratification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 in cancer versus non-cancer patients.
• To identify predictors of mortality, intubation, and ICU admission in cancer patients with COVID-19.

Main Methods:

• Multicenter cross-sectional study of adult COVID-19 patients (March 2019-March 2021).
• Data collected on demographics, clinical features, ICU admission, intubation, and outcomes.
• Statistical analyses included Chi-square, odds ratio, Mann-Whitney test, and logistic regression.

Main Results:

• Cancer patients had higher mortality (28% vs 9%), ICU admission (43% vs 17.9%), and intubation rates (20.9% vs 7.4%) compared to non-cancer patients.
• Logistic regression identified age, altered consciousness, low SpO2, and autoimmune disorders as mortality predictors in cancer patients.
• No significant difference in hospital length of stay was observed between groups.

Conclusions:

• Cancer patients with COVID-19 experience significantly worse outcomes.
• Older age, impaired consciousness, low oxygen saturation, and autoimmune disorders are critical risk factors for death in this population.
• Findings inform targeted management strategies for immunocompromised cancer patients during the pandemic.