• Yi Zhang, Hao Han, Yunling Tian, Jing Dong, Yage Yu, Yingying Kang, Lina Xing, Rongna Lian, Ruinian Zhang, and Dairong Xie.
• Department of Geriatric Respiratory Medicine, Lanzhou University First Hospital.
• Medicine (Baltimore). 2020 Oct 30; 99 (44): e23005.

BackgroundCancer patients are in a state of systemic immunosuppression and are considered a highly vulnerable population in the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. However, the relationship between cancer and the severity and mortality of patients with COVID-19 remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate whether cancer patients with COVID-19 may be at an increased risk of severe illness and mortality.MethodsWe will perform comprehensive searches in PubMed, EMBASE.com, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify studies providing prevalence of cancer between patients with severe and non-severe illness or between non-survivors and survivors. We will use the Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale to assess the quality of included studies. We will conduct pairwise meta-analyses to compute the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval using the Mantel Haenszel method with the random-effects model. The statistical heterogeneity will be assessed using the I statistic. Subgroup analyses, sensitivity analyses, and meta-regression analyses will be performed to explore the sources of heterogeneity.ResultsThe results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.ConclusionOur meta-analysis will systematically evaluate the association between cancer and the severity and mortality of patients with COVID-19. This study will provide evidence to help determine whether cancer patients should be provided with special precautions and advised to use stronger personal protection.Inplasy Registration NumberINPLASY202090093.

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