1. COVID-19 impact in radiotherapy practice in an oncology hub: a screenshot from Lombardy, Italy.
- Author
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Corrao G, Bergamaschi L, Zaffaroni M, Sarra Fiore M, Bufi G, Leonardi MC, Lazzari R, Alterio D, Cattani F, Pravettoni G, Mastrilli F, Orecchia R, Marvaso G, and Jereczek-Fossa BA
- Subjects
- Aged, COVID-19 complications, COVID-19 virology, Disease Management, Female, Humans, Intensive Care Units, Italy epidemiology, Male, Middle Aged, Neoplasms virology, Retrospective Studies, COVID-19 epidemiology, Neoplasms radiotherapy, Practice Patterns, Physicians' standards, Radiation Oncology standards, Radiotherapy methods, SARS-CoV-2 isolation & purification
- Abstract
Objective: During 2020, medical clinical activities were dramatically modified by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency. We aim to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on radiotherapy (RT) practice in a hub cancer center., Methods: Retrospective data collection of patients with suspected COVID-19 infection, identified by pathognomonic symptoms feedback at triage realized at the entrance to RT division. Inclusion criteria were diagnosis of oncologic disease, COVID-19-related symptoms, and signed written informed consent., Results: Between 1 March and 30 June 2020, 1,006 patients accessed our RT division for RT simulation or treatment. Forty-four patients matched inclusion criteria (4.4% of all patients): 29 women and 15 men. Seventeen patients had metastatic disease. Twenty-one patients reported fever, 6 presented dyspnea, 4 complained of ageusia and anosmia, and 3 developed conjunctivitis. Thirty-six patients underwent nasal swab, with 7 positive results. From our cohort, 4 cases of pneumonia were diagnosed with computed tomography scan imaging: 3 were related to COVID-19 infection, while the fourth was evaluated as an RT adverse event. From the entire series, 4 patients died: 3 during hospitalization in intensive care unit of complications of COVID-19 and 1 of other causes neither COVID-19 nor cancer-related., Conclusions: Cancer hub allows for safe RT practice continuation while minimizing the spread of contagion in this frail patient population. A challenge for the future will be to understand pandemic consequences in cancer natural history and manage its clinical impact.
- Published
- 2021
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