Sex-Bias in COVID-19-Associated Illness Severity and Mortality in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
August 2020
in “
EClinicalMedicine
”
TLDR Male cancer patients have a higher risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19 than female patients.
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated sex differences in adverse outcomes associated with COVID-19 in cancer patients, analyzing data from 17 studies with a total of 3,968 patients. The findings indicated that male cancer patients had a significantly higher risk of severe illness and death due to COVID-19 compared to female patients, with a pooled odds ratio of 1.60 (95% CI, 1.38–1.85). This sex-bias in COVID-19 outcomes has important implications for clinical prognosis and decision-making in the care of cancer patients. The study received no funding.
