Long-term Infection Risk

Existing cohort studies have reported adverse infection outcomes in real-world survivors more than 10 years after diagnosis for influenza and more than 5 years after diagnosis for COVID-19. Chronic infections require attention to whether infection occurred after cancer diagnosis rather than representing pre-existing infection or carrier status. Included studies must have average follow-up of at least one year from haematological cancer diagnosis. The protocol includes infection incidence, infection hospitalisation, and infection mortality as eligible outcomes. The review asks whether infection incidence and infection mortality remain elevated at least one year after haematological cancer diagnosis.