News Medical.net Childhood cancer survivors have a substantially higher risk of developing severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) even many years after their cancer diagnosis, as reported by the first European and nationwide population-based study published in The Lancet Regional Health.
Background
The prevalence of childhood cancer is rapidly increasing worldwide, with more than 400,000 children aged 0-19 diagnosed with cancer each year. Recent advancements in diagnostics and therapeutics have significantly improved cancer prognosis, leading to a 5-year survival rate of over 85% in high-income countries.
With increasing survival rates, the number of childhood cancer survivors is steadily increasing globally. However, the risk of various health complications and premature mortality is significantly higher in this vulnerable population. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a substantially higher risk of severe COVID-19 and related mortality has been observed among individuals with a history of cancer.