Background:

COVID-19 is a pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus which relation with cancer may have adverse effects.

Objective:

To describe the main associations between cancer and COVID-19.

Methodology:

A literature review was conducted in Google Scholar, SciELO and PubMed Central with the descriptors SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 and cancer, consulted in DeCS. Full-text articles in Spanish and English were selected, mainly from peer-reviewed journals.

Results:

COVID-19 produces more non-favorable outcomes in patients with cancer. These outcomes are related to high hospitalization rates, complications and mortality. Frequent comorbidity relations in patients with cancer seem to contribute to this dangerous association. Signaling pathways common to cancer and SARS-CoV-2 infection are proinflammatory cytokines, type I interferon, androgen receptor, and immune checkpoints. This knowledge has a practical use with drugs against COVID-19 in patients with cancer.

Conclusions:

Cancer is associated with severe COVID-19, making such patients more vulnerable to viral infection.

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