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SARS-CoV-2 infections in children undergoing anticancer therapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A

Olga Zając-Spychała1,2, S Rutkowska3, K Derwich3

  • 1Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Transplantology, Institute of Pediatrics, University of Medical Sciences, Szpitalna Str. 27/33, Poznan, Poland. olga_zajac@wp.pl.

Scientific Reports
|June 27, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric cancer patients and HSCT recipients experienced mostly mild COVID-19. However, severe illness was more common than in the general pediatric population, with milder courses observed more recently.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Oncology
  • Hematology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, emerged as a significant global health concern.
  • Vulnerable populations, including pediatric cancer patients and hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients, require specific attention regarding SARS-CoV-2 infection outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the clinical features, treatments, and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infections in pediatric oncology patients and HSCT recipients in Poland.
  • To compare the incidence and severity of COVID-19 in these immunocompromised pediatric groups.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of pediatric cancer patients and HSCT recipients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection between 2020 and 2023.
  • Data collection included patient demographics, treatment details, and clinical course severity.

Main Results:

  • Out of 496 pediatric oncology patients (12.2%), 41 HSCT recipients (6.0%) were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2.
  • The majority of infections presented with mild to moderate symptoms, but severe/critical illness rates were higher than in the general pediatric population.
  • A trend towards less severe clinical courses was observed in the later period of the pandemic.

Conclusions:

  • SARS-CoV-2 infection in pediatric cancer patients and HSCT recipients generally follows a milder course, though with a higher risk of severe disease compared to healthy children.
  • The observed decrease in severity over time suggests potential impacts of evolving viral strains, vaccination, or improved management strategies.
Keywords:
COVID-19CancerChildrenHematopoietic stem cell transplantationInfectionSARS-CoV-2

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