COVID-19: Impact on Oncologic Disease

Abstract

The COVID-19, a disease associated with the SARS-CoV-2 virus (Severe Respiratory Acute Syndrome - Coronavirus - 2), is currently recognized as a pandemic according to the World Health Organization statement in March of 2020. Most patients with COVID-19 have mild symptoms that disapper spontaneously. However, a minority evolves into more serious situations and, in some cases, can be deathly. Situations with a higher risk of serious illness are recognized in patients with active malignancy, or immunosuppression status.
The few data limits the knowledge about the relationship between COVID-19 and cancer. In this sense, efforts are being made to reduce the risk of infection in these patients associated with hospital routines and to reduce the impact of this situation on the normal performance of the planned treatments.
This brief review aims to focus on the impact of COVID-19 on cancer patients and to discuss paradigm changes and new treatment approaches and recommendations.