Prognostic Factors for Survival or Severity After COVID-19 Infection in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background and Objectives: Cancer organizations worldwide have recently released care guidelines for cancer patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Several studies have reported higher mortality rates in cancer patients with COVID-19. However, drawing robust conclusions remains challenging due to a lack of research on clinical prognostic factors in this patient group.Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases. We searched the keywords in the following combination: (“COVID-19” or “coronavirus” or “wuhan virus”) and (“cancer”). The search was performed on August 1, 2020, and only papers written in English were included in this study. We collected data from 3,215 cancer patients with COVID-19 from 16 studies and analyzed overall mortality after COVID-19 infection in cancer patients compared to controls, as well as prognostic factors for severity and mortality after COVID-19 infection. The prognostic factors analyzed encompassed demographics, comorbidities, symptoms, cancer treatment within 4 weeks of COVID-19 diagnosis, and treatment for COVID-19 infection.Results: This meta-analysis evaluated mortality rates and related prognostic factors in cancer patients infected with COVID-19. First, 15 of the 16 studies reported mortality data; 663 patients died among a total of 3,215 people, resulting in a combined mortality rate of 21%. Second, the following poor prognostic factors were identified: male sex, older age (≥65 years), respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough and dyspnea), and other comorbidities (e.g., cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).Conclusion: The mortality of cancer patients infected with COVID-19 can reach about 20%.