The SARS-COV-2 Seroprevalence among Oncology Patients

• Published in: Journal of clinical medicine 2023-01, Vol.12 (2), p.529
• Main Authors: Kgatle, Mankgopo, Das, Rajesh, Lawal, Ismaheel, Boshomane, Tebatso, Mokoala, Kgomotso, Gaspar, Cattleya, Mbokazi, Lydia, Nkambule, Nonhlanhla, Gow, Veronique, Ndlovu, Honest, Mzizi, Yonwaba, Chalwe, Joseph, Diphofa, Jeaneth, Mokobodi, Dinah, Gxekwa, Nobuhle, Zongo, Lusanda, Maphosa, Tinashe, Vorster, Mariza, Bassa, Sheynaz, Venkatesan, Amouda, Khanyile, Richard, Munga, Yunus, Ebenhan, Thomas, Zeevaart, Jan Rijn, Sathekge, Mike
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibodies; Asymptomatic; Cancer therapies; Chemotherapy; Clinical medicine; Coronaviruses; COVID-19 vaccines; Diabetes; Disease transmission; Epidemics; Females; Hypertension; Infections; Medical research; Morbidity; Oncology; Pandemics; Patients; Radiation therapy; Regression analysis; Serology; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Tumors
• ISSN: 2077-0383; 2077-0383
• DOI: 10.3390/jcm12020529

Patients with cancer are presumed to be vulnerable to an increased risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and severe clinical outcomes due to the immunocompromised state mediated by their underlying malignancies and therapy. The aim of this study was to estimate the SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence, following second to fourth waves in solid tumour patients attending the Steve Biko Academic Hospital (SBAH) for diagnosis and treatment of cancer. We used the single-prick COVID-19 IgG/IgM Rapid Test Cassettes to detect SARS-CoV-2 IgG/IgM antibodies in 760 patients with solid tumours who were asymptomatic and who had never tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Out of the 760 patients, 277 were male (36.4%), 483 were female (63.6%), and the mean age was 55 years (range 18−92). The estimated total seroprevalence was 33.2%. The seroprevalence status of the COVID-19 IgG/IgM antibodies rose significantly from the second wave (11.3%) to the third (67.38%) and then the fourth (69.81%) waves with roughly similar counts. A significant number of the seropositive patients were asymptomatic to COVID-19 (96%). There was a higher rate of seropositivity in cancer patients with hypertension (p < 0.05). Patients with breast, gynaecologic, and prostate cancers exhibited increased SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity. Although oncology patients may be susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, our data indicate that these patients remained asymptomatic throughout various waves with an overall COVID-19 IgG/IgM antibody seropositivity of 33.16%, suggesting no risk of severe or fatal cases of COVID-19.