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Impact of COVID-19 on Hematologic Cancer Patients: Insights From the Late Pandemic Phase

Daniele Caracciolo^1,2, Giuseppe D'Aquino¹, Caterina Froio¹

¹Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Græcia University, Campus Salvatore Venuta, Catanzaro, Italy.

Cancer Medicine

|August 29, 2025

Abstract

Background:

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased mortality risks for individuals with hematological malignancies.

Patients And Methods:

We conducted a single-center observational study, focusing on the late pandemic phase of the infection (2022-2023), to identify risk factors associated with COVID-19 outcomes in vaccinated patients with hematological malignancies.

Results:

Eighty-five COVID-19 cases were recorded among patients with hematological malignancies, primarily Multiple Myeloma (MM) (38.8%), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) (10.6%) and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) (35.3%). Despite a high COVID-19 vaccination rate (97.6%), severe/critical illness occurred in 23.5% of patients. The overall COVID-19-related mortality rate was 22.4%, with a 30-day mortality rate of 11.8%. Although mortality rates significantly decreased over the observation time (27.7% vs. 16.7%), this trend was not confirmed in critical infection carriers.

Conclusion:

Our data confirm that, despite a reduction in critical infections and overall mortality rates over time, patients with hematological malignancies remain at high risk during the endemic phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Keywords:

COVID‐19 chronic lymphocytic leukemia hematologic malignancies late pandemic phase multiple myeloma myelodysplastic syndrome non‐Hodgkin lymphoma

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