The immuno-oncological challenge of COVID-19

Lisa Derosa, Cléa Melenotte, Franck Griscelli, Bertrand Gachot, Aurélien Marabelle, Guido Kroemer, Laurence Zitvogel

    Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

    99 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its causative virus, SARS-CoV-2, pose considerable challenges for the management of oncology patients. COVID-19 presents as a particularly severe respiratory and systemic infection in aging and immunosuppressed individuals, including patients with cancer. Moreover, severe COVID-19 is linked to an inflammatory burst and lymphopenia, which may aggravate cancer prognosis. Here we discuss why those with cancer are at higher risk of severe COVID-19, describe immune responses that confer protective or adverse reactions to this disease and indicate which antineoplastic therapies may either increase COVID-19 vulnerability or have a dual therapeutic effect on cancer and COVID-19.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)946-964
    Number of pages19
    JournalNature Cancer
    Volume1
    Issue number10
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2020

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