COVID-19 Prevalence and Survival Outcome in Pediatric Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Study from Tertiary Cancer Center of North-East India

Background: Pediatric cancer patients are considered one of vulnerable group for Covid-19 infections and its associated complication. We assessed Covid-19 prevalence and implications in pediatric cancer patients of NorthEast India. Methods: Retrospective study was conducted between July 2020 to June 2021 at Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI), Guwahati, Assam, India. Medical records of the childhood cancer patients were analyzed. All patients who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 were collected. All childhood cancer patients with age group between one to eighteen years were included. Results: Fifty two out of 701 (7%) cancer patients in children were found to be positive for SARS-CoV2 by RT-PCR testing. Among COVID-19 positive patients, the median age was six years. In COVID-19 positive group, thirty (57.6 %) were suffering from hematological malignancy and twenty two (42.4%) have solid malignancy. In COVID-19 positive group, Among the hematological malignancies; acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) comprises 70% (21), acute myeloid leukemia (AML) 16.66% (5) and lymphoma accounting for 13.33%. Fever, cough and sore throat was presenting symptom in majority of patients. Survival outcome has shown statistically significant association (p=0.0001) between COVID-19 positive and negative pediatric cancer patients. Eight deaths occurred in COVID-19 positive patients but there was only one death in COVID-19 negative patients. Conclusion: Among COVID-19 positive childhood cancer patients risk of death was significantly higher compared to COVID-19 negative patients and majority of deaths occurred in hematological malignancies receiving intensive chemotherapy.