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Review
. 2023 Nov;72(11):3427-3444.
doi: 10.1007/s00262-023-03524-1. Epub 2023 Aug 29.

Cancer management during the COVID-19 world pandemic

Navid Sobhani  1 , Giuseppina Mondani  2 , Giandomenico Roviello  3 , Martina Catalano  2 , Marianna Sirico  4 , Alberto D'Angelo  5 , Bruna Scaggiante  6 , Daniele Generali  7   8
Affiliations
Review

Cancer management during the COVID-19 world pandemic

Navid Sobhani et al. Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2023 Nov.

Abstract

Since 2019, the world has been experiencing an outbreak of a novel beta-coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2. The worldwide spread of this virus has been a severe challenge for public health, and the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. As of June 8, 2023, the virus' rapid spread had caused over 767 million infections and more than 6.94 million deaths worldwide. Unlike previous SARS-CoV-1 and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus outbreaks, the COVID-19 outbreak has led to a high death rate in infected patients; this has been caused by multiorgan failure, which might be due to the widespread presence of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors-functional receptors of SARS-CoV-2-in multiple organs. Patients with cancer may be particularly susceptible to COVID-19 because cancer treatments (e.g., chemotherapy, immunotherapy) suppress the immune system. Thus, patients with cancer and COVID-19 may have a poor prognosis. Knowing how to manage the treatment of patients with cancer who may be infected with SARS-CoV-2 is essential. Treatment decisions must be made on a case-by-case basis, and patient stratification is necessary during COVID-19 outbreaks. Here, we review the management of COVID-19 in patients with cancer and focus on the measures that should be adopted for these patients on the basis of the organs or tissues affected by cancer and by the tumor stage.

Keywords: COVID-19 outbreak; Cancer management; Immune system; Infection; SARS-CoV-2; Therapy; mRNA vaccines.

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Conflict of interest statement

We declare that we do not have any conflicts of interest, whether of a financial or personal nature, that could potentially bias the outcomes or interpretations of this study.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Three main strategies to treat COVID-19-infected patients with cancer. These include personal protection measures in hospitals, symptomatic therapies (oral or intravenous) to alleviate COVID-19 symptoms, and—in worst-case scenarios in which patients cannot breathe—intubation
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Cytokine Storm. Patients infected with SARS-CoV2 can undergo an auto-immune cytokine storm leading to organ damage and/or failure
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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