• Zhaoqing Ju, Jun Yang, Gang Lu, Jian Li, Yun Wu, Xiaofeng Wu, Yanjie Huang, Yi Ai, Dongfeng Xiang, Bo Zeng, Zuwang Yang, and Nianqiao Gong.
• The Enshi Center for Disease Control and Prevention, The Health Committee.
• Medicine (Baltimore). 2021 May 28; 100 (21): e26143e26143.

IntroductionCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a rapidly emerging infectious respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Currently, more than 100 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed worldwide, with over 2.4 million mortalities. The pandemic affects people of all ages but older individuals and those with severe chronic illnesses, including cancer patients, are at higher risk.Patient ConcernsThe impact of cancer treatment on the progression of COVID-19 is unclear. Therefore, we assessed the effects of chemotherapy on COVID-19 outcomes for 2 cancer patients. On January 24, 2020, a level I response to a major public health emergency was initiated in Hubei Province, China, which includes Enshi Autonomous Prefecture that has a population of 4.026 million people. As of April 30, 2020, 252 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 11 asymptomatic carriers were identified in Enshi.DiagnosisAmong the confirmed cases and asymptomatic carriers, 2 patients were identified who were previously diagnosed with malignant tumors, including one with hepatocellular carcinoma and the other with cardia carcinoma.InterventionsThese 2 patients were receiving or just completed chemotherapy at the time of their COVID-19 diagnosis.OutcomesBoth patients were followed and presented favorable outcomes. The positive outcomes for these 2 patients could be partially explained by their recent chemotherapy that impacted their immune status. Also, their relatively younger ages and lack of comorbidities were likely factors in their successful recovery from COVID-19.ConclusionsAnticancer treatment might enhance a patient's ability to respond favorably to COVID-19 infection. However, anticancer treatment is likely to impact immune function differently in different individuals, which can influence disease outcomes.Copyright © 2021 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

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