2025 Volume 62 Issue 3 Pages 230-233
Introduction: Several reports on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in pediatric patients with cancer have been published in Europe and the United States. However, detailed studies on this topic from Japan are lacking.
Objective: This study aimed to assess the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 among pediatric patients with cancer and their impact on therapeutic strategies.
Patients and methods: Data on the clinical course and outcomes in nine pediatric patients with cancer infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) between January 2020 and December 2022 were retrospectively collected from the patients’ medical records and analyzed.
Results: Of the nine patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection during chemotherapy, four developed COVID-19. The route of transmission was identified in six patients (intrafamilial transmission in all six). The main symptoms were fever and cough. No patient required hospitalization for oxygen therapy. Chemotherapy was delayed in two patients, one of whom was unable to participate in the clinical trial because of tumor growth during treatment interruption.
Conclusion: Although the risk of severe COVID-19 in pediatric patients with cancer is not markedly high, treatment delays due to COVID-19 are problematic. Therefore, balancing the risk of severe COVID-19 with that of disease progression or recurrence is important when determining treatment strategies for pediatric patients with cancer and COVID-19.
