Does having received chemotherapy or radiation in the past raise your risk for getting COVID-19 or having a more serious course of illness?

To date, no evidence is available to suggest that any cancer treatments raise your risk for getting COVID-19 any more or less than anyone else who is exposed to the virus.
There is some evidence that patients with cancer may experience more serious COVID-19 infection if they acquire it, likely because cancer and cancer treatment can contribute to weakened immune systems which can then lead to a reduced ability to fight off infections.
Patients who are getting treatment for cancer also interact with the health care system more frequently than the general population, so more exposure in that setting may contribute to a higher risk of getting an infection, but that is not known with certainty at this point.
Patients are advised to speak with their cancer care team about whether non-essential clinic visits can be skipped, re-scheduled, or conducted by telephone or videoconferencing.
Keep in mind, however, that skipping treatment for cancer because of concerns about the risk of infection with COVID-19 is a serious decision and something that should be discussed with your oncologist.

References

Does having received chemotherapy or radiation in the past raise your risk for getting COVID-19 or having a more serious course of illness? Print