SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Cancer Patients: Effects on Disease Outcomes and Patient Prognosis

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Cancer patients are a highly vulnerable subgroup in this coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This crisis has dramatically disrupted the continuous care provided to cancer patients, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Thus, studies that help gain insights into COVID-19 prevalence, disease severity, prognosis, and clinical outcomes in cancer patients are of great importance. In this review, we outline the current knowledge of disease outcomes and prognoses for cancer patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and learn if the severity is exacerbated by cancer type, anticancer therapies, gender, behavioral risk factors (e.g., smoking, alcohol consumption), and comorbidities. Our article will help clinicians determine cases where treatment can be postponed during the pandemic and will encourage further research to better understand the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on cancer patients. ABSTRACT: The severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms and outcomes vary immensely among patients. Predicting disease progression and managing disease symptoms is even more challenging in cancer patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Cancer therapies, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy, often suppress the immune system, rendering cancer patients more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of severe complications. However, data on the effects of immunosuppression on COVID-19 outcomes in cancer patients remain limited. Further investigations are warranted to better understand the implications of SARS-CoV-2 infection in cancer patients, particularly those that are immunocompromised. In this review, we outline the current knowledge of the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in cancer patients.