Convalescent Plasma for the Treatment of Severe COVID‐19 Infection in Cancer Patients

xloma.fota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Convalescent Plasma for the Treatment of Severe COVID‐19 Infection in Cancer Patients Via Cancer Medicine Patients with cancer are particularly vulnerable to infection with COVID‐19 given immunodeficiency secondary to their underlying disease and cancer‐directed therapy. Here, we report a case series of 24 cancer patients with COVID‐19 treated with convalescent plasma. Non‐intubated patients, particularly those on nasal cannula alone, had favorable outcomes, suggesting convalescent plasma may be a viable treatment options for cancer patients with COVID‐19, particularly if utilized early in the disease course. Abstract Background Patients with malignancy are particularly vulnerable to infection with Severe Acute Respiratory Disease‐Coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) given their immunodeficiency secondary to their underlying disease and cancer‐directed therapy. We report a case series of patients with cancer who received convalescent plasma, an investigational therapy for severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19). Methods Patients with cancer were identified who received convalescent plasma. Enrolled patients had confirmed COVID‐19 with severe or life‐threatening disease and were transfused with convalescent plasma from donors with a SARS‐CoV‐2 anti‐spike antibody titer of ≥ 1:320 dilution. Oxygen requirements and clinical outcomes of interests were captured as well as laboratory parameters at baseline and 3 days after treatment. Results We identified 24 patients with cancer, 14 of whom had a hematological malignancy, who were treated with convalescent plasma. Fifteen patients (62.5%) were on cancer‐directed treatment at the time of COVID‐19 infection. After a median of hospital duration of 9 days, 13 patients (54.2%) had been discharged home, 1 patient (4.2%) was still hospitalized, and 10 patients had died (41.7%). Non‐intubated patients, particularly those on nasal cannula alone, had favorable outcomes. Three mild febrile non‐hemolytic transfusion reactions were observed. C‐reactive protein significantly decreased after 3 days of treatment, while other laboratory parameters including ferritin and D‐dimer remained unchanged. Conclusions Convalescent plasma may be a promising therapy in cancer patients with COVID‐19. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.