Biomarkers May Help Guide Treatment in Cancer Patients With COVID-19

A systematic review has revealed biomarkers that may provide prognostic insight and guide treatment in patients with cancer and COVID-19. 

Researchers identified 7 biomarkers that were positively associated with severe COVID-19 in cancer patients. Three of these biomarkers were associated with prognosis after COVID-19 treatment. 

These findings were presented in a poster at the AACR Annual Meeting 2022.  

To identify prognostic biomarkers in cancer patients with COVID-19, the researchers conducted a literature review. The review included 17 articles, 4168 patients, 16 cancer types, and 60 biomarkers.  

The researchers compared biomarkers in cancer patients with COVID-19, non-cancer patients with COVID-19, and healthy control individuals. Biochemical and inflammatory biomarkers differed across the groups. 

Patients with cancer and COVID-19 had higher levels of indirect bilirubin, C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, ferritin, fibrinogen, glucose, interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R), interleukin 6 (IL-6), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), procalcitonin (PCT), and urea. These patients had lower levels of albumin, total bilirubin, hemoglobin, and total protein.

Elevated levels of CRP, D-dimer, ferritin, IL-2R, IL-6, LDH, and PCT were positively associated with severe COVID-19 in patients with cancer.

Patients with COVID-19 and cancer who had lower levels of CRP, ferritin, and LDH had better prognosis following antiviral or antibiotic treatment for COVID-19. Patients with higher levels of CRP, ferritin, and LDH after immunotherapy for COVID-19 had a worse prognosis.

The researchers noted that because the effectiveness of immunotherapy varies in cancer patients with COVID-19, biomarker-based precision medicine may be a better treatment strategy for this group.

Reference

Lai Y-J, Lee T-A, Wang S-H, et al. Prognostic serum biomarkers in cancer patients with COVID-19: A systematic review. Presented at AACR 2022; April 8-13, 2022. Abstract 5279.

This article originally appeared on Cancer Therapy Advisor