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Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children with cancer. Mortality according to the three waves. A report from the Argentine National Pediatric Cancer Registry (ROHA-NET)
  • +18
  • Florencia Moreno,
  • María Agustina Chaplin,
  • Wanda Goldman,
  • María Quillen Echaide Zingoni,
  • Daniel Solorzano,
  • Marcela Palladino,
  • Antonio Latella,
  • Agustin Cardoso,
  • María Sznitowski,
  • Patricia Cañazares,
  • Mariana Casullo,
  • Gisel Fattore,
  • Alejandro Risso Vázquez,
  • Cecilia Garbini,
  • Maria Alterats,
  • Cristina Ferraro,
  • Romina Inzeo,
  • Antonela Di Staso,
  • Mónica Hernandez,
  • Constanza Cafferata,
  • Lidia Fraquelli
Florencia Moreno
Instituto Nacional del Cancer

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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María Agustina Chaplin
Instituto Nacional del Cancer
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Wanda Goldman
Sor María Ludovica Hospital Department of Hematology La Plata Argentina
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María Quillen Echaide Zingoni
Clinica San Lucas Department of Pediatrics Neuquén Argentina
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Daniel Solorzano
Hospital del Niño Jesús Department of Pediatric Oncology S M De Tucumán Argentina
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Marcela Palladino
Hospital de Pediatria Prof Dr Juan P Garrahan
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Antonio Latella
Hospital de Pediatria Prof Dr Juan P Garrahan
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Agustin Cardoso
Fundacion para la Lucha contra las Enfermedades Neurologicas de la Infancia
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María Sznitowski
Hospital General de Ninos Pedro de Elizalde
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Patricia Cañazares
Hospital Materno Infantil "Dr Héctor Quintana" Department of Oncology S S De Jujuy Argentina
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Mariana Casullo
Hospital Provincial de Neuquen Dr Castro Rendon
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Gisel Fattore
Instituto Nacional del Cancer
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Alejandro Risso Vázquez
Instituto Nacional del Cancer
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Cecilia Garbini
Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas
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Maria Alterats
Hospital Municipal Materno Infantil de San Isidro Department of Oncology Buenos Aires Argentina
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Cristina Ferraro
Hospital de Niños Dr Ricardo Gutiérrez Department of Hematology Buenos Aires Argentina
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Romina Inzeo
Hospital General de Ninos Pedro de Elizalde
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Antonela Di Staso
Hospital Aleman
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Mónica Hernandez
Hospital Intezonal Dr J Penna Department of Oncology Bahía Blanca Argentina
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Constanza Cafferata
Hospital Eva Perón CEPSI Department of Oncology Santiago Del Estero Argentina
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Lidia Fraquelli
Hospital de Pediatria Prof Dr Juan P Garrahan
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Abstract

Background and Aims: Worldwide, the incidence of COVID-19 is lower in children than in adults and symptoms are less severe. So far, few studies from Latin America have been published on the behavior of COVID-19 in children with cancer. Purpose: To characterize the epidemiology, clinical course, morbidity, and mortality in children with cancer and COVID-19. Methods: All patients registered in the Argentine National Pediatric Cancer Registry (ROHA) with diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 between December 4, 2020, and May 3, 2022 were included. Variables analyzed were: sex, age at COVID-19 diagnosis, clinical presentation at diagnosis, symptom severity, tumor type, intensive care requirement, specific treatment for COVID-19, vital status, and cause of death. Mortality was analyzed comparing the three main waves. Results: Overall, 888 children with cancer and COVID-19 infection were registered (484 females); 437 (49.2%) had leukemia, followed by central nervous system tumors (CNS-T) 120 (13.5%). Of the children, 57.2% (n=508) were symptomatic; 75% were febrile, and 37% (n=210) had neutropenia; 17.1% (n=152) were diagnosed within one month of cancer diagnosis. A total of 154 children had severe or critical symptoms (17%). In this study, 112 deaths were reported, 105 (94%) due to disease progression, sepsis, comorbidities, or treatment complications. Seven patients (0.8%) died from COVID-19, all diagnosed with leukemia/lymphoma. No association of deaths was found between the three waves analyzed. Conclusions: Based on the ROHA data, we may conclude that in pediatric cancer patients, contrary to what was initially expected, morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19 were not increased.