Susceptibility of lung cancer patients to COVID‐19: A review of the pandemic data from multiple nationalities

Abstract

Several studies have highlighted that cancer patients tend to be more susceptible to develop severe infection and to die from COVID‐19. Certain medical conditions such as immunosuppression, presence of comorbidities, and underlying pulmonary damage are possible determinants of disease severity, especially in lung cancer patients. While recent studies have shown that lung cancer is one of the most prevalent tumor types among COVID‐19 cancer patients, we still have an incomplete view of how data from several countries work as a whole. The aim of this review was to investigate COVID‐19 prevalence in lung cancer patient cohorts and their probability to develop severe illness and death when compared to nonlung cancer patients from multiple nationalities, including countries that have been the epicenters of the pandemic. We also focus on some intrinsic lung cancer features that might influence COVID‐19 outcomes. An integrative view of the susceptibility of lung cancer patients might be especially relevant to assist physicians in evaluating the risks of COVID‐19 in these patients, and to foster better decisions on treatment delay.

Impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on lung cancer patients: A meta-analysis

“…Lung cancer patients are exceptionally vulnerable compared with those with other cancer types when outbreaks of respiratory viruses occur because their damaged respiratory epithelium probably accelerates the invasion of virus into the lungs. [96] Approximately 80.0% of primary lung cancer cases worldwide are caused by smoking [97] Structural lung damage and reduced lung function caused by smoking, and lung damage caused by lung cancer treatment (surgery and radiotherapy) leads to additionally severe symptoms and consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with lung cancer compared with other malignant solid tumors. [98] Therefore, the mortality rate of lung cancer patients with COVID-19 is higher than that of other malignant solid tumor patients with COVID-19.…”

Characteristics and Outcomes of COVID-19 Cancer Patients Admitted to a Portuguese Intensive Care Unit: A Case-Control Study

“…In the case of solid tumor immunosuppression results, in the majority of cases, oncological treatments are administered. Studies previously published that aimed to characterize the oncological population with COVID-19 found that lung cancer was one of the most prevalent subtypes [ 11 , 12 , 18 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 ]. In our study, which only included patients admitted to the ICU, the most common tumors were breast cancer, male genital tract cancer and urinary tract cancer.…”

Indices of insulin-like growth factors family in the lung tissue of patients with non-small cell lung cancer after COVID-19 of various severity

“…В конце 2019 г. новая коронавирусная инфекция молниеносно распространилась по миру, вызвала более 105 миллионов случаев заболевания и более 2,3 миллиона смертей [1]. Разрушение клеток легких, вызванное инфекцией COVID-19, запускает локальный иммунный ответ, рекрутируя макрофаги и моноциты, высвобождая хемокины и провоспалительные цитокины, тем самым запуская адаптивные иммунные ответы Т-и В-лимфоцитов [2]. У большинства пациентов с COVID-19 рекрутированные клетки очищают легкие от инфекции, затем иммунный ответ снижается, и больные переносят заболевание бессимптомно или в легкой форме, не требующей госпитализации.…”