Mortality audit of cancer patients with SARS-CoV-2 positivity or COVID-19

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has disrupted cancer care services globally. The present review of cause of deaths was conducted in a tertiary care cancer center in the North East India. In our institute, all cancer patients requiring admission for surgery, chemotherapy, and other daycare procedures require testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). From 09 July 2020 to 16 May 2021, 119 cancer patients with SARS-CoV-2 positive report or COVID-19 have been admitted at our institute Covid ward. A total of 19 cancer patients with COVID-19 succumbed. Of 19 deaths, 13 (68.4%) patients were men and 6 (31.6%) patients were women. The age range from 27 years to 74 years (median =55 years). Vomiting alone or with diarrhea was the most common symptom requiring admission after testing (4/19, 21.0%), followed by bleeding from primary tumour site (3/19, 15.7%). The antecedent and underlying cause of deaths in 19 (100%) patients was cancer. SARS-CoV-2 infection should not be a hindrance for cancer treatment and management.