Case fatality rate of the adult in-patients with COVID-19 and digestive system tumors: A systematic review and meta-analysis

• Published in: Medicine (Baltimore) Vol. 101; no. 25; p. e29364
• Main Authors: Wang, Guoqun, Pan, Lanlan, Zhao, Jianyi, Tang, Jie, Fang, Yueyu, Sun, Hui, Seesaha, Poshita Kumari, Chen, Wensen, Chen, Xiaofeng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 24.06.2022
• Subjects: Adult; COVID-19; Humans; Mass Screening; Pandemics; Stomach Neoplasms; Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
• ISSN: 0025-7974; 1536-5964; 1536-5964
• DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000029364

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, endoscopic screening for gastrointestinal tumors was suspended or delayed in most countries. Thus, our study aimed to quantify the impact of COVID-19 on the clinical outcomes of patients with digestive system tumors through a systematic review and meta-analysis. We systematically searched the PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases as of March 7, 2021 to identify the case fatality rate (CFR) of COVID-19 patients diagnosed with digestive system tumors. A random-effects model was used for meta-analysis, I2 was used to assess heterogeneity, and funnel plot was used to assess publication bias. A total of 13 studies were included, involving 2943 tumor patients with COVID-19, of which 871 were digestive system tumors, and the CFR was 24% (95% CI, 18%-30%; I2 = 55.7%). The mortality rate of colorectal cancer was 21% (95% CI, 14%-27%; I2 = 0.0%), gastric cancer was 25% (95% CI, 6%-45%; I2 = 0.0%), and hepatobiliary cancer was 29%. In general, there was no significant difference in the CFR of digestive system tumors. The combined CFR of digestive system tumors and COVID-19 patients was 24%, which is much higher than that of the general population. Under the premise of fully complying with the international guidelines to limit the spread of COVID-19, we call for the resumption of endoscopic screening programs and selective surgery as soon as possible. PROSPERO registration no. CRD42021248194.