For decades, a diagnosis of cancer has meant treatment with chemotherapy, which can bring with it a host of challenging side effects. But in recent years, more patients are being spared chemo in favor of less toxic options.

B cells are cells that make antibodies against bacteria and viruses. Chemotherapy and COVID-19Before coronavirus, we really didn’t see patients getting more severe infections in the months after chemotherapy. However, we don’t know if patients might be more at risk for severe COVID-19 infections in the months after chemotherapy. There is also a very interesting study about cigarette use and immune system recovery after chemotherapy. In the study, smokers and nonsmokers have about the same number of B cells on average before chemotherapy, and about the same two weeks after chemotherapy.