Citation:
Kotecha RS. Challenges posed by COVID-19 to children with cancer. Lancet Oncol. 2020;21(5):e235
Abstract:
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has rapidly escalated into a global crisis. Although children are less likely to develop severe illness than adults, a study has now highlighted that infants and younger children (ie, ≤5 years) are more likely to develop severe clinical manifestations than older children (ie, ≥6 years), with immaturity of the immune system cited as a potential explanation. In turn, it is known that viral infections, including with other human coronaviruses, are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised children.
The coming months will pose many further challenges, which might include accessibility to scarce resources, effects on drug manufacture and supply, and the effect on care of children with cancer from low-income and middle-income countries. Continued collaboration among the international paediatric oncology community is required to get through such uncertain times.