Dear Editor,
Over the last year the COVID-19 pandemic has led to more than 83 million cases and 1.8 million deaths worldwide. Several conditions, such as cancer, have been identified as potential risk factors for poor outcomes of COVID-19, including the need for intensive care, invasive ventilation and death. These results have mainly been attributed to immunosuppression. Nevertheless, it is now known that the overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines (including IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-γ, and TNF-α), along with an increase in IL-10 and lymphopenia, leads to an IL-6-mediated systemic inflammation, resulting in end-organ damage, especially in the lung, with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, and the need for critical care to ensure optimal treatment. Moreover, the results of the RECOVERY trial support the use of the anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drug dexamethasone in the inflammatory phase of the disease, since it reduced mortality in patients with severe COVID-19 and the need for respiratory support.

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