[Incidence of COVID-19 in cancer patients from the HIGA Alende, Mar del Plata, Argentina, 2020-2021]

Introduction: COVID-19 differentially affected individuals with chronic diseases such as cancer, with greater severity and mortality than the general population.

Objetives: Estimate the incidence of infection, hospitalization and fatality due to COVID-19 in cancer patients diagnosed between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2020, treated at a Hospital in the city of Mar del Plata and evaluate risk factors for infection.

Methods: retrospective cohort study in cancer patients aged 15 years or older. Demographic variables, comorbidities, tumor characteristics, oncological treatments, infection, hospitalization and death due to COVID-19 were collected. Kaplan-Meier curves and a Cox regression model were fitted, the time until infection was the response variable.

Results: 995 patients were included and 8.9% had COVID-19. 95.6% had solid tumors, 41.4% had severe forms of cancer, 1.7% had more than one malignant tumor and 10.9% had tumors with metastatic forms. Patients under 60 years of age, with hematological cancer and/or severe forms of cancer had significantly higher risk of COVID-19 infection.

Discussion: The greater circulation and exposure in those under 60 years of age could explain the higher risk of infection, while the decrease in the immune status in the case of solid cancers with more severe stages or those of a hematological type could explain the higher risk.