Clinical spectrum and outcomes of cancer patients affected with COVID-19 in Indian population: A single-center retrospective study

Introduction: Cancer patients affected with COVID-19 are at high risk of severe infection and death which depends upon their functional status, cancer type and treatment modality. In this study, we measured outcome by mortality and length of stay in hospital and intensive care unit, need of oxygen and respiratory assist devices and performance status after discharge. Methodology: This retrospective observational study was carried out in active cancer patients with confirmed positive RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 between April 2021 and August 2021. Patients with cancer treated more than 6 months back, those in remission and home isolation were excluded. Demographic profile, cancer type, staging and treatment, severity of COVID, treatment, oxygen supplementation, as well as ICU and hospital stay were analyzed. Statistical analysis was done using descriptive and inferential analysis. Significance was assessed at 5% level of significance. Chi-square/ Fisher Exact test was used to find the significance of the study parameters on categorical scale between two or more groups, non-parametric setting for qualitative data analysis. Fisher Exact test was used when cell samples were very small. P £ 0.01 was considered as strongly significant. Results: Out of 92 patients, there were 17 deaths (mortality 18.4%). Mortality was associated with cancer stage, comorbidities, severity of COVID symptoms, use of oxygen, high flow nasal cannula, non-invasive ventilation and decreased Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score on discharge (P = 0.001). Age, raised C-reactive protein and D dimer levels were associated with increased severity of COVID-19. Conclusion: Cancer patients with COVID-19 have increased morbidity and mortality affected by various factors related either to pre-existent cancer or the newly acquired COVID-19. Abbreviations: CRP - C-reactive protein; ECOG - Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score; RT-PCR - Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; HFNC - High Flow Nasal Cannula Key words: COVID-19; Critical Illness; Neoplasms; Death; Oxygen Citation: Kakati SD, Das A, Ninu M, Kakati B. Clinical spectrum and outcomes of cancer patients affected with COVID-19 in Indian population: A single-center retrospective study. Anaesth. pain intensive care 2023;27(5):506-512. DOI: 10.35975/apic.v27i5.2305 Received: July 18, 2023; Reviewed: August 09, 2023; Accepted: August 17, 2023