key: cord-1046808-qpcd6uta
authors: Nerli, R. B.; Sanikop, Adarsh C.; Sharma, Manas; Ghagane, Shridhar C.
title: COVID‐19 pandemic: A challenge to a child with cancer
date: 2020-07-07
journal: Pediatr Blood Cancer
DOI: 10.1002/pbc.28512
sha: 068353f0e068e8f9a0037c7a3aaca68de806a336
doc_id: 1046808
cord_uid: qpcd6uta

nan

To The Editor:

People of all ages can be infected by the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Older people and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as diabetes and heart disease) are more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus. There is a widespread anxiety among families of children with cancer due to the risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2, either in the hospital or community setting. 1 Recently, Ogimi et al reported that infants and younger children (ie, less than 5 years) are more likely to develop severe clinical manifestations than older children, probably due to immaturity of the immune system. 2 When he presented in early May, he had a small swelling of 1.5 cm diameter below the left subcostal margin ( Figure 1A ). Ultrasonography revealed a hypoechoic lesion below the skin measuring 1.5 cm in diameter ( Figure 1B ). Fine needle aspiration cytology was done, which revealed sheets of cells with high nuclear/cytoplasm ratio ( Figure 1C ).

The features were highly suspicious of a malignant lesion. The lesion was excised and histopathological examination revealed a metastasis from Wilms tumour ( Figure 1D ). The child has been resumed on further chemotherapy.

Most childhood cancers behave aggressively and need immediate treatment, often requiring prolonged periods of intensive multiagent chemotherapy. Postponement of treatment such as surgery, radiation

Challenges posed by COVID-19 to children with cancer

Characteristics and outcomes of coronavirus infection in children: the role of viral factors and an immunocompromised state

The COVID-19 pandemic: a rapid global response for children with cancer from SIOP