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International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine Research

ISSN Online: 2575-7970 ISSN Print: 2575-7989 CODEN: IJCEMH
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ArticleOpen Access http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/ijcemr.2022.10.008

Incidence and Outcome of COVID-19 Infection in Cancer Patients, A Long Term Study: An Experience From Pakistan

Afshan Asghar Rasheed1,*, Anita Vallacha2, Babar Malik2, Narjis Muzaffar3, Syed Najeeb Niamatullah3, Hina Hafiz4, Lubna Gu4

1Primary Investigator, Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Oncology, Hanifa Suleman Dawood Cancer Center, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, Pakistan.

2Senior Lecturer, Department of Medical Oncology, Hanifa Suleman Dawood Cancer Center, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, Pakistan.

3Professor and Head of Department, Department of Medical Oncology, Hanifa Suleman Dawood Cancer Center, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, Pakistan.

4Medical Officer, Department of Medical Oncology, Hanifa Suleman Dawood Cancer Center, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, Pakistan.

*Corresponding author: Afshan Asghar Rasheed

Published: November 11,2022

Abstract

Introduction: Cancer patients are at risk of severe symptoms because of COVID 19 virus. Cancer patients are prone because they are immune-comprised due to their cancer and due to treatment with chemotherapy/immunotherapy. It is difficult to treat cancer patients in this pandemic due to limited data. Incidence of severe complications related to this virus in cancer patients is high then non cancer patients of same age group. They need more ICU admission and invasive ventilation. Since clinical data is relatively scarce in this perspective. This study is being carried out to perceive incidence and severity and outcome of this viral infection in cancer population in under developed country. Methods: All cancer patients who were receiving active oncological treatment and on surveillance visited the oncology clinic or required inpatient hospital care were included in this study. Aim was to assess the incidence and outcome of COVID 19 infection in oncology patients treated in our institute. Files of all adult cancer patients who were COVID positive and required inpatient care or managed at home from March 2020 till March 2021 were reviewed retrospectively. Purposive non-random sampling has been used for sampling technique. All details related to this infection have been recorded on a predesigned Proforma. Results: Total number of patients who visited Oncology clinics during 1st wave and 2nd wave of covid-19 were: n-7877 [M :F- 1.5 :1]. During these waves total oncology patients who contracted COVID virus were: N= 170[170/ 7877=2.1 %, M: F-1.8: 1]. Only n-18 patients expired, Mortality according to severity of infection was: mild [4.7%], moderate [1.7%] and severe [4.1%]. More patients died secondary to this virus were urinary bladder [22.8%] and prostate cancer [15%] followed by GI [11.5%]. Patients with mild infection died because they had associated sepsis and uncontrolled malignancy. Mortality according to age, total [n-18], 5, 5, 8, and 0 according to age group 1, 2, 3 and 4. Mortality with co-morbidities, only chronic kidney disease [n-03], only hypertension [n-4], only ischemic heart disease [n-0], with multiple co-morbidities [n-10] and without co-morbidity [n-1]. Only 6 female patient’s vs 12 male patients expired during this pandemic. Significant numbers of patients with co-morbidities survived with this virus ie with multiple co-morbidities 77.7% survived. Mortality associated with other complications ie- 6 patients had febrile neutropenia and all survived, n-11 had associated sepsis and only 7 passed away. After excluding initial mortality [n-18], n-85 patients visited clinic regularly for long term complications of COVID and followed up for at least 6 months and 30 patients presented to clinics for 3 months. During these 6 months, 8 patients passed away due to COVID-19 infection. Patients who were receiving chemotherapy prior to acquiring COVID-19 infection, all resumed chemotherapy [n-31] and did not observe any worsening of symptoms. Conclusion: This study do not reveal higher COVID-19- related mortality despite having constraints of being subjected to limited resources in an under-developed country in patients undergoing active anticancer treatment comparable to existing evidence from developed countries.

Keywords

Afshan Asghar Rasheed, Anita Vallacha, Babar Malik, Narjis Muzaffar, Syed Najeeb Niamatullah, Hina Hafiz, Lubna Gu

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How to cite this paper

Incidence and Outcome of COVID-19 Infection in Cancer Patients, A Long Term Study: An Experience From Pakistan

How to cite this paper: Afshan Asghar Rasheed, Anita Vallacha, Babar Malik, Narjis Muzaffar, Syed Najeeb Niamatullah, Hina Hafiz, Lubna Gu. (2022) Incidence and Outcome of COVID-19 Infection in Cancer Patients, A Long Term Study: An Experience From Pakistan. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine Research, 6(4), 372-378.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/ijcemr.2022.10.008

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