Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

On Cancer, COVID-19 and CT Scan: A Monocentric Retrospective Study

Version 1 : Received: 2 September 2020 / Approved: 4 September 2020 / Online: 4 September 2020 (03:14:13 CEST)

How to cite: Martini, F.; D'Alessio, A.; Bracchi, F.; Di Mauro, D.; Fargnoli, A.; Motta, M.; Giussani, C.; Meazza Prina, M.; Gobbin, G.; Taverna, M. On Cancer, COVID-19 and CT Scan: A Monocentric Retrospective Study. Preprints 2020, 2020090075. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202009.0075.v1 Martini, F.; D'Alessio, A.; Bracchi, F.; Di Mauro, D.; Fargnoli, A.; Motta, M.; Giussani, C.; Meazza Prina, M.; Gobbin, G.; Taverna, M. On Cancer, COVID-19 and CT Scan: A Monocentric Retrospective Study. Preprints 2020, 2020090075. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202009.0075.v1

Abstract

Background The acknowledgment of computed tomography (CT) defined diagnosis in high prevalence northern Italy may identify more patients with Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID 19) infection, than RT-PCR alone. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 148 chest CT scans of oncological patients who were referred to the Radiological Unit of Policlinico S. Marco from 1st of February 2020 to 30th of April 2020, during the Covid-19 outbreak in Bergamo area. Therefore, we analyzed RT-PCR tests of these 148 patients. Results Among 32 patients with diagnosis of COVID-19 infection: 17 patients were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms (53.1%), while 15 developed severe disease (46.8%). The incidence of COVID-19 infection is 22.9%, the mortality rate is 18.8%. Severe COVID-19 disease is associated with higher median age. We did not find any correlation between disease severity and sex, smoke or cardiovascular comorbidities. Remarkably, patients who were on treatment developed milder disease than cancer patients who were not on treatment. Conclusions The acceptance of CT-defined diagnosis in high prevalence area like Bergamo highlighted a larger number of COVID-19 oncological population than RT-PCR alone, in particular asymptomatic and mild symptomatic patients. We observed that actively treated patients had milder disease, according to previous studies that suggested a protective role of immunosuppression.

Keywords

COVID-19 infection; CT-scan; oncological patients

Subject

Medicine and Pharmacology, Oncology and Oncogenics

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