High COVID-19 mortality in Swiss cancer patients

Final results of a national registry on COVID-19 in Switzerland showed a high mortality (21.5%) in cancer patients. Age and disease setting were independent predictors for death.

Cancer patients are at an increased risk of unfavourable outcome of COVID-19 infection. Dr Markus Joerger (Cantonal Hospital St Gallen, Switzerland) presented final results of a national registry on COVID-19 in Switzerland [1].

Data was collected on 501 symptomatic COVID-19-infected cancer patients from 23 Swiss sites, starting 1 March 2020. At data cut-off date of 15 March 2021, 455 patients were included into the final analysis. Most frequent malignancies were breast cancer (14%), lung cancer (10%), prostate cancer (6%), and myeloma (4%); 205 patients (45%) had non-curative disease. Systemic treatment within 3 months prior to COVID-19 diagnosis included chemotherapy (21.8%), targeted therapy (20.7%), steroids (11.6%), and checkpoint inhibitors (7.3%).

A total of 285 patients (62.6%) were hospitalised for COVID-19, 213 (46.8%) required oxygen, 43 (9.5%) invasive ventilation, 62 (13.6%) were admitted to the ICU. Death from COVID-19 infection occurred in 98 patients, resulting in a mortality rate of 21.5%. Age ≥65 versus <65 (OR 3.22; P=0.001), non-curative versus curative disease (OR 2.34; P=0.008), ICU admission (OR 4.36; P<0.001), and oxygen requirement (OR 22.37; P<0.001) were independently associated with increased mortality. Neither male versus female gender (OR 1.28; P=0.43), haematological versus solid malignancy (OR 0.921; P=0.80), pulmonary comorbidity (OR 0.96; P=0.93), cardiovascular comorbidity (OR 1.11; P=0.75), chemotherapy (OR 1.52; P=0.22), or checkpoint inhibitors (OR 2.81; P=0.082) were significant risk factors for death.

“COVID-19 mortality in Swiss cancer patients is high, 21.5%, for the first wave of the pandemic in a country with a decentralised, high-quality healthcare system with universal access,” concluded Dr Joerger.

1. Joerger M, et al. Outcome and prognostic factors of COVID-19 infection in cancer patients: Final results of SAKK 80/20. Abstract 1570P, ESMO Congress 2021, 16–21 September.

 

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Posted on 19 November 2021