Multicenter Study of the Seroprevalence of Antibodies against Covid-19 in Patients with Lymphoma: An Analysis of the Oncological Group for the Treatment and Study of Lymphomas (Gotel)

Abstract

The new Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) coronavirus has generated a pandemic, in which there are population groups at higher risk and who are potentially fatal victims of the disease. Cancer patients have been considered a group with special susceptibility, particularly patients with lung tumour involvement and haematological neoplasms. The Spanish Lymphoma Oncology Group (GOTEL) carried out a multicenter study of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in patients with lymphoma. Results: A total of 150 patients were included between 22 May and 11 June 2020. The mean age was 65 years (range 17–89), 70 women (46.5%) and 80 men (53, 5%). At the time of diagnosis of lymphoma, 13 cases were stage I (9%), 27 (18%) stage II, 37 (24.5%) stage III, and 73 (48.5%) stage IV, while 6.6% had a primary extranodal origin. A total of 10 cases with positive serology for SARS-CoV-2 were identified, which is a prevalence of 6% in this population. None of the patients required intensive care unit management and all fully recovered from the infection. Conclusion: IgG antibody seroprevalence in lymphoma patients appears similar to that of the general population and does not show greater aggressiveness.

Keywords

• lymphoma
• infection of SARS-CoV-2
• Covid-19