COVID-19 and Cancer: Updating Epidemiological Issues

Abstract

Introduction: The disease caused by the new coronavirus (COVID-19) is currently a global public health issue. Advanced age, male gender, history of tobacco addiction and presence of comorbidities, among them cancer, were reported in the literature as factors associated to the worse prognosis of the disease. Objectives: To review the literature about the new coronavirus infection in individuals with malignant neoplasms and to update the epidemiological aspects of the disease in oncologic patients. Method: Literature review on articles published in scientific journals that addressed the epidemiologic aspects of the infection by coronavirus in oncologic patients using the terms of the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and of the Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCs) in the MEDLINE/PubMed database. Results: Patients with cancer have worse clinical results when compared to the general population. Conclusion: Elderly oncologic patients with lung cancer or patients who have submitted to recent cancer surgery or chemotherapy when diagnosed with COVID-19 were more susceptible to the development of severe infection.