• Menglan Zhai and Sheng Zhang.
• Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P.R. China.
• In Vivo. 2020 Nov 1; 34 (6): 3753-3756.

Background/AimNovel coronavirus infection in a cancer patient treated with immunotherapy, requires high attention.Case ReportClinical and radiological data were obtained from the electronic medical record. Pharynx swab was tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The nasopharyngeal carcinoma patient developed fever on the third day after chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Laboratory examination showed lymphocytopenia. On the sixth day, chest computed tomography (CT) images showed bilateral scattered ground-glass opacities and reticulation. Pharynx swab was positive for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid and the patient was confirmed as having Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Unfortunately, despite aggressive treatment after the diagnosis of COVID-19, the patient died quickly.ConclusionThe patient with nasopharyngeal carcinoma in this case developed severe COVID-19 after receiving immunotherapy. For patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in epidemic areas, the safety of ICIs in cancer patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 should be considered.Copyright© 2020, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

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