The prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 infection in cancer patients. A cross-sectional study at a tertiary cancer center in New York City
Abstact: Objective: Several factors raise concern for increased risk of COVID-19 in cancer patients. While there is strong support for testing symptomatic patients. The benefit of routine testing of asymptomatic patients remains contentious. We aim to evaluate the prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-1...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Cancer Treatment and Research Communications |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468294221000459 |
| _version_ | 1818873767506477056 |
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| author | Mudathir Ibrahim Vijaya Natarajan Pooja Murthy Trishala Meghal Yiquing Xu Ory Wiesel |
| author_facet | Mudathir Ibrahim Vijaya Natarajan Pooja Murthy Trishala Meghal Yiquing Xu Ory Wiesel |
| author_sort | Mudathir Ibrahim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstact: Objective: Several factors raise concern for increased risk of COVID-19 in cancer patients. While there is strong support for testing symptomatic patients. The benefit of routine testing of asymptomatic patients remains contentious. We aim to evaluate the prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 infection in cancer patients. Methods: Between June 1 and September 3, 2020, we obtained nasopharyngeal swab from asymptomatic cancer patients who were visiting a single tertiary-care cancer center, and tested the specimen for the presence or absence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. We performed a descriptive statistic of data Results: We tested a total of 80 patients, of which 3 (3.75%) were found positive for COVID-19. A significant proportion of the tested patients were on active immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory treatment, cytotoxic chemotherapy (n = 34), and immunotherapy (n = 16). However, all three COVID-19 positive patients were only actively on hormonal therapy. All three patients observed a minimum of 2 weeks home quarantine. None of the patients developed symptoms upon follow up and no changes were required to their treatment plan. Conclusions: Despite published evidence that cancer patients may be at increased risk of severe COVID -19 infection, our data suggest that some infected cancer patients are asymptomatic. The overall prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 infection in this population of cancer patients was similar to that in the general population. Therefore, since asymptomatic infections are not uncommon in patients with cancer, we recommend universal COVID-19 testing to help guide treatment decisions and prevent the spread of the disease. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T12:59:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9e0a2df444084c29acbca11ab10bfd27 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2468-2942 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T12:59:56Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancer Treatment and Research Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-9e0a2df444084c29acbca11ab10bfd272022-12-21T20:20:16ZengElsevierCancer Treatment and Research Communications2468-29422021-01-0127100346The prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 infection in cancer patients. A cross-sectional study at a tertiary cancer center in New York CityMudathir Ibrahim0Vijaya Natarajan1Pooja Murthy2Trishala Meghal3Yiquing Xu4Ory Wiesel5Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USADepartment of Hematology and Oncology, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USADepartment of Hematology and Oncology, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USADepartment of Hematology and Oncology, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USADepartment of Hematology and Oncology, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USADivision of Thoracic Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA; Corresponding author: Division of Thoracic surgery, Department of General Surgery, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, 11219, USA.Abstact: Objective: Several factors raise concern for increased risk of COVID-19 in cancer patients. While there is strong support for testing symptomatic patients. The benefit of routine testing of asymptomatic patients remains contentious. We aim to evaluate the prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 infection in cancer patients. Methods: Between June 1 and September 3, 2020, we obtained nasopharyngeal swab from asymptomatic cancer patients who were visiting a single tertiary-care cancer center, and tested the specimen for the presence or absence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. We performed a descriptive statistic of data Results: We tested a total of 80 patients, of which 3 (3.75%) were found positive for COVID-19. A significant proportion of the tested patients were on active immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory treatment, cytotoxic chemotherapy (n = 34), and immunotherapy (n = 16). However, all three COVID-19 positive patients were only actively on hormonal therapy. All three patients observed a minimum of 2 weeks home quarantine. None of the patients developed symptoms upon follow up and no changes were required to their treatment plan. Conclusions: Despite published evidence that cancer patients may be at increased risk of severe COVID -19 infection, our data suggest that some infected cancer patients are asymptomatic. The overall prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 infection in this population of cancer patients was similar to that in the general population. Therefore, since asymptomatic infections are not uncommon in patients with cancer, we recommend universal COVID-19 testing to help guide treatment decisions and prevent the spread of the disease.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468294221000459COVID-19 infectionAsymptomaticCancer patientsSAR-Cov-2 nucleic acid testing |
| spellingShingle | Mudathir Ibrahim Vijaya Natarajan Pooja Murthy Trishala Meghal Yiquing Xu Ory Wiesel The prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 infection in cancer patients. A cross-sectional study at a tertiary cancer center in New York City Cancer Treatment and Research Communications COVID-19 infection Asymptomatic Cancer patients SAR-Cov-2 nucleic acid testing |
| title | The prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 infection in cancer patients. A cross-sectional study at a tertiary cancer center in New York City |
| title_full | The prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 infection in cancer patients. A cross-sectional study at a tertiary cancer center in New York City |
| title_fullStr | The prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 infection in cancer patients. A cross-sectional study at a tertiary cancer center in New York City |
| title_full_unstemmed | The prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 infection in cancer patients. A cross-sectional study at a tertiary cancer center in New York City |
| title_short | The prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 infection in cancer patients. A cross-sectional study at a tertiary cancer center in New York City |
| title_sort | prevalence of asymptomatic covid 19 infection in cancer patients a cross sectional study at a tertiary cancer center in new york city |
| topic | COVID-19 infection Asymptomatic Cancer patients SAR-Cov-2 nucleic acid testing |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468294221000459 |
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