Published online Sep 25, 2022. doi: 10.5501/wjv.v11.i5.321
Peer-review started: February 19, 2022
First decision: June 16, 2022
Revised: June 28, 2022
Accepted: September 2, 2022
Article in press: September 2, 2022
Published online: September 25, 2022
Processing time: 216 Days and 18.1 Hours
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been the cause of a global health crisis since the end of 2019. All countries are following the guidelines and recommendations released by the World Health Organization to decrease the spread of the disease. Children account for only 3%-5% of cases of COVID-19. Few data are available regarding the clinical course, the severity of the disease, and mode of treatment in children with malignancy and COVID-19.
COVID-19 has caused a global crisis worldwide, with few data available on this new health crisis. Patients with comorbidities are more susceptible to COVID-19 complications, especially oncology patients who are receiving different modalities of treatment making them immunocompromised most of the time. We would like to share our experience in these patients to compare it with the published data worldwide.
The main objective of this study was to evaluate the outcome of oncology patients who contracted COVID-19, compare it with the results of the healthy population in the same age group, and compare the outcomes among different malignancy groups. Also we compared our patients’ outcome with the international data published worldwide to share our experience and try to improve our management plan for these patients to provide the best care for them during this health crisis.
A retrospective review of the medical files of patients who have malignancy and developed COVID-19 between July 2020 and June 2021 was performed. The following data were reviewed for all patients: primary disease, laboratory data, admission ward, clinical status upon admission, disease course, treatment plan, and outcome. Eligible patients were patients who had malignancy and tested positive for COVID-19 by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.
A total of 40 patients with malignancy who contracted COVID-19 from July 1, 2020 to June 1, 2021. Their primary diseases were as follows: 34 patients (85%) had hematological malignancies (30 of them had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 2 had acute myeloblastic leukemia, and 2 had Hodgkin lymphoma), whereas 6 (15%) had solid tumors (2 had neuroblastoma, 2 had rhabdomyosarcoma, and 2 had central nervous system tumors). Twelve patients (30%) did not need hospitalization and underwent home isolation only, whereas 28 patients (70%) required hospitalization (26 patients were admitted in the COVID-19 ward and 2 patients were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit).
Children with malignancy who contracted COVID-19 have a benign course and do not have increased risk of severe infection compared to healthy children.
The findings of this study will help us share our experience worldwide and give an idea of what is occurring in developing countries during this health crisis, especially in oncology patients who need special care.