COVID 19 Prevalence And Survival Outcome In Pediatric Cancer Patients
Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Study From Tertiary Cancer Center Of
North-East India
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Pediatric cancer patients are considered one of vulnerable
group for covid-19 infections and its associated complication. We
assessed in this study, covid-19 prevalence and implications in
pediatric cancer patients of North-East India METHODS: A total of sixty
three pediatric cancer patients were tested for covid-19 by RT-PCR
between July 2020 to September 2020. All the patients received
chemotherapy as per their cancer types. Patients within age group one
year to eighteen years were included. Retrospectively medical records of
pediatric cancer patients were analyzed for clinical outcome between
COVID positive and negative group. RESULTS: Among sixty three patient,
19(30%) were found positive for COVID-19. Among COVID-19 positive
patients, fourteen patients have hematological malignancies. Fever was
the main presenting symptom along with cough and sore throat there were
no statistically significant association observed between COVID-19
positive and negative group for gender, cancer type, total WBC count and
absolute neutrophil count. Survival outcome has shown statistically
significant association (p=0.0065) between COVID-19 positive and
negative pediatric cancer patients. Four deaths occurred in COVID-19
positive patients but there was no death in COVID-19 negative patients.
Statistically significant association was also observed between COVID-19
positivity in patients being symptomatic (p=0.0001). CONCLUSION: We
conclude from our present study that among pediatric cancer patients of
North-East India, COVID-19 positivity was significantly high in
symptomatic patients compared to asymptomatic. Among COVID-19 positive
pediatric cancer patients risk of death was significantly higher
compared to COVID-19 negative patients.