Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Increased Mortality Among Patients with Cancer Receiving Systemic Anticancer Treatments?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the mortality rates in patients receiving anticancer therapy coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic period. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Medical Oncology, Sakarya University Training and Research Hospital, Sakarya, Turkey, from December 2017 to May 2020. METHODOLOGY: Only who received chemotherapy immunotherapy were selected enrolled All (n=3,204) divided into three groups, namely first group (1st 2017-31st 2018, n=918), second 2018-31st 2019, n=1,147), period (PPG) 2019-31st 2020, n=1,139), according during which they treatment. The clinical demographic characteristics these groups compared. RESULTS: median age total 3,204 was 61 (53-69). In this study, 51.1% (n=1,636) females 48.9% males. 13.5% (n=124) group, 13.4% (n=154) 13.0% (n=148) PPG, respectively. Overall did not differ among with cancer different six-month periods analysed (p = 0.931). CONCLUSION: There no unexpected increased rate undergoing COVID-19 as compared previous years same timeline. No increase monthly anti-cancer treatment demonstrated