The Prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection Among Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy in a Tertiary Care Center

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) infection among patients receiving cancer chemotherapy and to identify risk factors for latent TB reactivation. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care center in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Patients were surveyed for TB risk factors, their records were reviewed for previous TB infection or disease, and blood samples were collected for interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs). Results: A total of 203 patients were included. One hundred and twenty-five were females (62%). Median age was 52 years, and mean age was significantly higher in positive IGRA patients compared to negative IGRA (57.32 vs. 47.27; p = 0.009). Twenty-five patients (12.3%) had evidence of TB infection, 16 (68%) among them had a latent TB infection, while the rest received treatment for an active TB disease. The rate of active disease among cancer patients was 8 (3.9%). Additionally, 92% (23) of those with positive IGRA had solid cancers (p = 0.007), and all active TB cases occurred in this group of solid cancers. Conclusion: TB prevalence was higher in chemotherapy patients compared to the general Saudi population. Patients with solid tumors and older age had a greater risk of developing the infection, signifying the importance of preventing TB and malignancy coexistence by initiating screening policies in cancer patients.