Trick or Treat: Curative Management of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma of a COVID-positive Patient

Abstract

The novel coronavirus pneumonia COVID-19 which is reportedly caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection can potentially lead to a course of clinical symptoms and fatal illnesses. Reported first in 2019, it has now affected more than 596,873,121 people, worldwide. In addition to its clinical manifestation in humans, the COVID-19 virus in cancer patients is significantly declining a positive prognosis. In the time of an ongoing global pandemic, oncologists are struggling to provide appropriate care to cancer patients due to their increased susceptibility to severe complications of COVID-19 which can be attributed to their immunosuppressed status caused by the malignancy and anticancer treatments. Similarly, the lack of literature, evidence, and consensus on whether to give antineoplastic agents to patients with active COVID-19 infection pose a unique challenge for physicians. In this article, we present a case of a 47-year-old female who was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus and later tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Under unanimous decision, oncological treatment for the malignancy was initiated with a combination of chemotherapy and radiation without a consequential delay as per multidisciplinary tumor board (MDT) meeting decision which results in clinical improvement.