New York. Globally, about 20 percent of children with cancer who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) have been found to develop a more severe infection than children or people without cancer. An international study published in The Lancet Oncology Journal has revealed.
However, overall, only 1-6 percent of such children have been found to have severe infections.
The study, led by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Tennessee, US, showed that in addition to more severe or severe infections, pediatric cancer patients are more likely to be hospitalized, which is estimated at up to 65 percent .
Apart from this, 17 percent of Kovid infected children suffering from cancer were found to need to be admitted or transferred to a higher level of medical facility during the study. At the same time, the mortality rate after critical condition has been estimated at 4 percent, while 0.01-0.7 percent mortality has been observed in normal pediatric patients. That is, comparing children suffering from cancer with normal infected children, cancer children have been found to be more vulnerable even in the matter of losing the battle for life.
It has also been seen that the epidemic has also disrupted the treatment of cancer. Cancer therapy was modified in 56 per cent of patients and 45 per cent stopped chemotherapy as they were also being treated for infection.
These effects were seen more significantly in low- and middle-income countries, where the risk of serious illness from COVID-19 was nearly six times higher than in high-income countries.
“The results clearly and definitively show that children with cancer with COVID-19 have a worse prognosis than children without cancer,” said Sheena Mukkada, from the St. Jude’s Department of Global Pediatric Medicine and Infectious Diseases.
The analysis covered 1,500 children from 131 hospitals in 45 countries from April 15, 2020 to February 1, 2021. The study took place at a time when vaccination was not available for older children in some areas of the world. In addition, by that time there were not many new COVID-19 variants, including delta, which have been found to be responsible for rapidly increasing cases in many countries and have become a major global concern.
Experts involved in the research have emphasized the importance of vaccinating children against COVID-19. Children have been found to be relatively safe from severe forms of the disease, which may help patients avoid hospitalization and the need for ventilators. (IANS)
read this also – Click to read the news of your state / city before the newspaper
.
