Cancer survivors present physical and psychological sequelae after COVID-19 hospitalization: a prospective and longitudinal cross-sectional study assessing post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) in cancer patients

Abstract

Purpose: to prospectively assess symptoms and impairments following COVID-19 hospitalization in a cancer population, particularly regarding fatigue, nutritional status, speech and swallowing, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Methods: Prospective and longitudinal cross-sectional study with cancer survivors hospitalized due to COVID-19 from June to December 2020. Participants were assessed at discharge, and after one, three, six and twelve months. Results: We included 51 participants. At the time of discharge, 84.3% participants presented at least one impairment: fatigue (68.6%), anxious/depressive symptoms (23.5%), voice and speech impairments (19.6%), dysphagia (21.6%), and were at nutritional risk (54.9%). After one year, impairments were present in 53.7% of the sample: fatigue (34.2%), anxious/depressive symptoms (39.2%), voice and speech impairments (29.4%), dysphagia (33.3%). No participants presented nutritional risk after one year. Participants had no significant impact on their activities of daily living (ADL).Conclusion: Cancer survivors hospitalized due to COVID-19 in our institution presented high levels of fatigue, nutritional risk, anxious/depressive and PTSD symptoms at the time of discharge, with improvement of fatigue, and some aggravation of speech, swallowing and psychological symptoms in the following year.