Childhood Cancer Survivors Face Higher COVID-19 Risk

Even Decades After Initial Diagnosis, Severe Outcomes More Likely

A recent study reveals that individuals who survived cancer as children face an elevated risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, including hospitalization and death, even decades after their initial diagnosis. The research highlights the need for tailored protection strategies.

Study Highlights Increased Risk

Research from **Karolinska Institutet** indicates that while childhood cancer survivors were not more likely to contract COVID-19, they were 58% more prone to developing severe complications if infected. Severe COVID-19 was defined as requiring hospital care, intensive care, or resulting in death.

“It is important to understand that even though these individuals were not infected more often, the consequences were more serious when they did become ill,” said **Javier Louro**, postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Environmental Medicine at **Karolinska Institutet** and first author of the study.

Notably, a recent study published in JAMA Network Open found that individuals with a history of cancer had a higher risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, with the risk varying by cancer type and treatment received (JAMA Network Open 2023).

Study Details

The study included over 13,000 individuals diagnosed with cancer before age 20. All participants were at least 20 years old at the onset of the pandemic. Researchers compared this group to both their siblings and a randomly selected control group of similar gender and birth year.

Differences in risk were most pronounced during periods of high viral transmission, such as the rapid spread of the Alpha and Omicron variants. In Sweden, where pandemic management relied more on recommendations than strict restrictions, the increased risk was more significant compared to Denmark, which implemented early and stringent measures.

Recommendations for Future Pandemics

“Our results suggest that childhood cancer survivors should be considered a risk group in future pandemics or other health crises. This could involve prioritising them for vaccination or offering special protection during periods of high transmission,” said **Javier Louro**.

These findings emphasize the importance of considering long-term health vulnerabilities in individuals who have survived childhood cancer, particularly during public health crises. Tailored strategies, such as prioritized vaccination and enhanced protection during periods of high transmission, may be necessary to mitigate the increased risk of severe outcomes in this population.