According to a study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania and published in the Journal of the American National Cancer Institute, people who have had cancer may have more severe COVID-19 disease. Pointing out that people who have had cancer disease are still in the risk group even if they are healthy and they can have a more severe COVID-19 infection, Anadolu Medical Center Medical Oncology Specialist Prof. Dr. Serdar Turhal said, “In this case, individuals who have survived cancer need to more intensely comply with warnings such as social distance, mask and vaccination.”
Anadolu Medical Center Medical Oncology Specialist Prof., who pointed out that 67 of 328 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 disease within the scope of this study were diagnosed with underlying cancer, most of them (80) had a history of organ cancer, and most of them were found to be inactive (73). Dr. Serdar Turhal said, “The rate of hospitalization in 49 patients who do not receive active cancer treatment is 29%; The hospitalization rate was 55 percent in 18 patients receiving active cancer treatment. Again, while the rate of intensive care hospitalization is close to 12 percent in people who do not receive active treatment; In those who receive active treatment, this rate reaches 26 percent.
Cancer survivors are still in the risk group.
Saying that these observations are evidence that individuals who have had cancer can have a more severe COVID-19 infection, even if the disease is not active, Medical Oncology Specialist Prof. Dr. Serdar Turhal, “The first 30-day risk of death after COVID-19 is 1.6 percent in those whose cancer is inactive; 13.4% of those who are active. When we compare these rates with individuals without cancer symptoms, we see that these rates are higher. Although the number of patients here is low, we still recommend that individuals who have had cancer follow the social distance, mask, hygiene and vaccination warnings more closely, even if the disease is not active.
Source: (BHA) – Beyaz News Agency
