ABSTRACT
Aims: This paper reports the results of a survey assessing the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine among patients with cancer. Patients and methods: In total, 111 adult patients with cancer from a single institution were asked to complete a questionnaire designed to assess their knowledge about the vaccine, their readiness to be vaccinated and the determinants of their decision. Results: 61.3% of the patients considered themselves more vulnerable to COVID-19 than the general population. Television, radio and newspapers were the major sources of information about the vaccine. A total of 55% of the patients were ready to be vaccinated and 14.4% refused the vaccine. The main reason for refusal was incompatibility with patients' disease or treatment. Conclusion: Most of the patients in this institutional sample accepted the COVID-19 vaccine. Better communication of information with patients is needed to decrease vaccine hesitancy.
Lay abstract Major cancer societies consider vaccinating patients with cancer against COVID-19 a priority. The investigators conducted a survey assessing perceptions of the vaccine among patients with cancer. A total of 111 patients were asked to complete a questionnaire evaluating their knowledge about the vaccine, their readiness to be vaccinated and the determinants of their decision. Most (61.3%) patients considered themselves more susceptible to COVID-19 than the general population. Television, radio and newspapers were the major sources of information about the vaccine. The majority of patients (55%) were ready to be vaccinated and 14.4% refused the vaccine. The main reason for refusal was incompatibility with patients' disease or treatment. Better communication with patients is needed to decrease vaccine hesitancy.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 Vaccines , Neoplasms/psychology , Patient Acceptance of Health Care/psychology , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , COVID-19/prevention & control , COVID-19/psychology , Female , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Hospitals, University , Humans , Lebanon/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Patient Acceptance of Health Care/statistics & numerical data , SARS-CoV-2/immunology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Vaccination/psychology , Vaccination Refusal/psychology , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic led to a worldwide medical crisis, affecting mostly immunocompromised patients, such as cancer patients. Various cancer societies have issued recommendations regarding patients care, but few studies addressed the perception of cancer patients regarding this pandemic. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to assess the perception of cancer patients regarding their health risks during this pandemic and the preventive measures taken. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An anonymous survey was conducted among cancer patients presenting for their treatment, during 10 consecutive working days, at the one-day clinic of Hotel-Dieu de France University hospital in Beirut. We evaluated their state of disease, comorbidities, precautions taken, and their concerns regarding the virus spread. RESULTS: A total of 216 patients responded with a mean age of 60 years. The majority had a good performance status (performance status = 0-1 in 79.6%), 51.4% had metastatic disease, and chemotherapy was the main therapy used (65.7%). A total of 52.3% of patients considered themselves to be at increased risk of contracting the virus. A total of 55.1% were more worried about the coronavirus rather than their disease. The priority was for the treatment of their cancer in 47.7% of the total patients studied. Of note, only 2.8% of planned one-day clinic reservations were canceled or postponed to avoid COVID-19 exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Although cancer is a disease with a high mortality rate, many patients are more concerned about the actual pandemic rather than their disease. Nevertheless, the absenteeism from their treatment sessions during the COVID-19 atmosphere was minimal.
Subject(s)
Anxiety/psychology , COVID-19/prevention & control , Fear/psychology , Neoplasms/psychology , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Ambulatory Care , Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use , Cross-Sectional Studies , Delivery of Health Care , Female , Humans , Lebanon , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Neoplasms/pathology , Patient Safety , Risk , SARS-CoV-2 , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young AdultABSTRACT
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has posed several challenges to the hematology community to re-organize the medical care of patients with hematologic malignancies. Whereas the oncology societies favored a more or less conservative approach which considered the possibility of delaying treatment administration on a case-by-case basis, the hematology community guidelines were less stringent and recommended adequate individualized regimens. As countries are de-escalating the lockdown and the medical community is unable to foresee the end of the current outbreak will and whether the pandemic would eventually come back as a seasonal infection, there is interest in screening of patients with hematology malignancies with COVID-19 instead of limiting access to curative treatments. The rapidly accumulating knowledge about COVID-19 allows a better understanding of the diagnostic tools that may be potentially used in screening. Herein, we briefly review the pathophysiology of COVID-19, the rationale of screening of patients with hematologic malignancies, tools for screening, and available guidelines.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/complications , COVID-19/diagnosis , Hematologic Neoplasms/complications , SARS-CoV-2 , Adrenal Cortex Hormones/administration & dosage , Adrenal Cortex Hormones/adverse effects , Adrenal Cortex Hormones/therapeutic use , Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological/administration & dosage , Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological/adverse effects , Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological/therapeutic use , COVID-19/etiology , COVID-19/virology , Clinical Decision-Making , Colony-Stimulating Factors/administration & dosage , Colony-Stimulating Factors/adverse effects , Colony-Stimulating Factors/therapeutic use , Disease Management , Disease Susceptibility/immunology , Hematologic Neoplasms/therapy , Humans , Immunocompromised Host , Mass Screening , Molecular Diagnostic Techniques , Molecular Targeted Therapy/adverse effects , Molecular Targeted Therapy/methods , Practice Guidelines as TopicABSTRACT
COVID-19 has been declared a pandemic by the world health organization. Patients with cancer, and particularly hematologic malignancies may be at higher risk for severe complications due to their malignancy, immune dysregulation, therapy, and associated comorbidities. The oncology community has been proactive in issuing practice guidelines to help optimize management, and limit infection risk and complications from SARS-COV-2. Although hematologic malignancies account for only 10% of all cancers, their management is particularly complex, especially in the time of COVID-19. Screening or early detection of COVID-19 are central for preventative/mitigation strategy, which is the best current strategy in our battle against COVID-19. Herein, we provide an overview of COVID-19 screening strategies and highlight the unique aspects of treating patients with hematologic malignancies.
Subject(s)
Biomedical Research , Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Economic Recession , Neoplasms , Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology , Research Support as Topic , Betacoronavirus , COVID-19 , Clinical Trials as Topic , Coronavirus Infections/drug therapy , Drug Development , Humans , Pandemics , Pneumonia, Viral/drug therapy , SARS-CoV-2 , COVID-19 Drug TreatmentABSTRACT
The novel coronavirus, also known as SARS-Cov-2 or COVID-19 has become a worldwide threat and the major healthcare concern of the year 2020. Cancer research was directly affected by the emerging of this disease. According to some Chinese studies, cancer patients are more vulnerable to COVID-19 complications. This observation led many oncologists to change their daily practice in cancer care, without solid evidence and recommendations. Moreover, the COVID-19 manifestations as well as its diagnosis are particular in this special population. In this review paper we expose the challenges of cancer management in the era of SARS-CoV-2, the epidemiological, clinical, pathological and radiological characteristics of the disease in cancer patients and its outcomes on this population. Finally, we focus on strategies that are followed in cancer management with review of national and international guidelines.