Patients with cancer are presumed to be vulnerable to an increased risk of severe acute
respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and severe clinical outcomes due to
the immunocompromised state mediated by their underlying malignancies and therapy. The aim
of this study was to estimate the SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence, following second to fourth waves
in solid tumour patients attending the Steve Biko Academic Hospital (SBAH) for diagnosis and
treatment of cancer. We used the single-prick COVID-19 IgG/IgM Rapid Test Cassettes to detect
SARS-CoV-2 IgG/IgM antibodies in 760 patients with solid tumours who were asymptomatic and
who had never tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Out of the 760 patients,
277 were male (36.4%), 483 were female (63.6%), and the mean age was 55 years (range 18–92). The
estimated total seroprevalence was 33.2%. The seroprevalence status of the COVID-19 IgG/IgM
antibodies rose significantly from the second wave (11.3%) to the third (67.38%) and then the fourth
(69.81%) waves with roughly similar counts. A significant number of the seropositive patients were
asymptomatic to COVID-19 (96%). There was a higher rate of seropositivity in cancer patients with
hypertension (p < 0.05). Patients with breast, gynaecologic, and prostate cancers exhibited increased
SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity. Although oncology patients may be susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection,
our data indicate that these patients remained asymptomatic throughout various waves with an
overall COVID-19 IgG/IgM antibody seropositivity of 33.16%, suggesting no risk of severe or fatal
cases of COVID-19.
Description:
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : Data supporting reported results can be requested by email from both corresponding authors.
