Course of Sars-CoV2 Infection in Patients with Cancer Treated with anti-PD-1: A Case Presentation and Review of the Literature

Cancer Invest. 2021 Jan;39(1):9-14. doi: 10.1080/07357907.2020.1844893. Epub 2020 Nov 6.

Abstract

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemia is a major health worldwide concern. Patients with cancer might have a worse outcome, because of the immunosuppression determined by the tumor itself and anti-cancer treatments, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The impact and course of viral infection in patients receiving immunotherapy remains unknown. We report the case of a patient with metastatic melanoma, long responder to anti PD-1 blockade who got infected with Sars CoV-2, recovering without sequelae. A critical review of literature was performed. Limited data available in literature support the possibility to continue the immunotherapy in patients with cancer under control.

Keywords: COVID-19; Melanoma; anti-PD-1; cancer.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / therapeutic use
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological / therapeutic use
  • COVID-19 / epidemiology
  • COVID-19 / prevention & control*
  • COVID-19 / virology
  • Humans
  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Melanoma / drug therapy*
  • Melanoma / pathology
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Pandemics
  • SARS-CoV-2 / isolation & purification*
  • SARS-CoV-2 / physiology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological
  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
  • pembrolizumab