Detection of abnormal lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of COVID-19 cancer patients: diagnostic and prognostic possibility

Abstract

Background: Peripheral morphological abnormalities play important roles in the early diagnosis and prognosis of the COVID-19 infection. The aim of the present study was to assess the morphological alterations in the peripheral blood (PB) cells in patients with COVID-19 infection, with special attention to a different group of atypical lymphocytes that had been observed in the PB of COVID-19 cancer and non-cancer patients. Methods: The PB cells were examined in 84 COVID-19 positive cancer patients, and 20 COVID-19 positive non-cancer patients, compared to 30 healthy normal controls. The data were correlated to the disease severity, patients’ clinicopathological features, and outcomes. Results: There was an increased incidence of giant platelets, neutrophils shifting left, and abnormal monocytes in the COVID-19 positive cancer and non-cancer patients compared to the control group (P < 0.001]. The presence of the Covicytes is associated significantly with a better prognosis in cancer and non-cancer COVID-19 patients. Conclusion: Covicytes could be a useful marker supporting the diagnosis of SARS-COV-2 infection, and it is associated with a favorable prognosis.