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E-ISSN: 3061-9947
Evaluatıon Of Sars-Cov-2 Infectıon In Cancer Patıents: Sıngle-Center Experıence From Turkey
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Original Article
VOLUME: 53 ISSUE: 3
P: 441-447
2020

Evaluatıon Of Sars-Cov-2 Infectıon In Cancer Patıents: Sıngle-Center Experıence From Turkey

Acta Haematol Oncol Turc 2020;53(3):441-447
DOI: 10.5505/aot.2020.79664
Aysegul Ilhan Güleşen 1
Serdar Karakaya 1
İbrahim Karadağ 1
Sabahat Ceken 2
Berna Oksuzoglu 1
1. Department of Medical Oncology, Dr. A.Y. Oncology Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
2. Department Of Infectious Diseases And Clinical Microbiology, Dr. A.y. Oncology Education And Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
3.
No information available.
No information available
Received Date: 2020-08-04T21:14:11
Accepted Date: 2020-12-30T17:37:28
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Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Oncologists from all over the world have important problems about the follow up and treatment of cancer patients during the COVID-19 crisis.Cancer patients have a poor risk of prognosis during SARS-Cov-2 infection due to both the significant risk of mortality that can be encountered with delayed cancer treatments and immunosuppressive conditions.We aimed to evaluate solid cancer patients with COVID-19 findings retrospectively to find an answer about the management of these patients during outbreak.

METHODS

Between March 11,2020 and May 11,2020,76 patients who had solid organ malignancy were admitted to the Ankara Dr. A. Yurtaslan Oncology Training and Research Hospital with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 infection were examined retrospectively.

RESULTS

The most common symptoms at admission were: dry cough, fever.COVID-19 RT-qPCR test was performed in 39 cases.The COVID-19 RT-qPCR test results were positive in four patients.This number constituted 0.06% of 6000 cancer-diagnosed patients admitted to our outpatient clinic.Among the patients who were positive for COVID-19 with RT-qPCR, one patient had stage2 breast carcinoma and was not actively receiving chemotherapy, another had newly-diagnosed stage 4 gastric carcinoma and was treatment-naïve, another was receiving radiotherapy and capecitabine for locally advanced rectal cancer, and the final patient had stage4 bladder cancer and was receiving second-line chemotherapy.Of these four patients, only one patient needed intensive care, while the other three recovered with intensive care-free medical treatment.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Our findings do not support previous studies that have resulted in worse prognosis and mortality in cancer patients in the current pandemic.Our tertiary center based on oncology might provided the protection of COVID-19 infection due to non-followed COVID-19 positive patients.In addition, changes in our working system as; triage, displacement in polyclinics, communication by telemedicine with patients in remission, symptom questioning and consultation before chemotherapy, supply less frequency of routine hospital visits of cancer patients resulted reduced the risk of COVID-19 infection.