Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the early-onset colorectal cancer.

The COVID19 pandemic has affected the spectrum of cancer care worldwide. Early onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC) is defined as diagnosis below the age of 50. Patients with EOCRC faced multiple challenges during the COVID19 pandemic and in some institutions it jeopardized cancer diagnosis and care delivery. Our study aims to identify the clinicopathological features and outcomes of patients with EOCRC in our Centre during the first wave of the pandemic in comparison with the same period in 2019 and 2021. Patients with EOCRC visited for the first time at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Spain from the 1st March to 31st August of 2019, 2020 and 2021 were included in the analysis. 177 patients with EOCRC were visited for the first time between 2019 and 2021, of which 90 patients met the inclusion criteria (2019: 30 patients, 2020: 29 patients, 2021: 31 patients). Neither differences in frequency nor in stage at diagnosis or at first visit during the given periods were observed. Of note, indication of systemic therapy in the adjuvant or metastatic setting was not altered. Days to treatment initiation and enrollment in clinical trials in this subpopulation was not affected due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

COVID-19 in patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms: two-year results of the INTENSIVE study.

Preliminary results regarding 85 patients of the INTENSIVE study have been published in 2021. Now we are reporting the 2-year analysis. We conducted a retrospective/prospective worldwide study on patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) and a molecularly proven SARS-CoV-2 positivity. Here we are reporting data from consecutive patients enrolled between June 01, 2020, and May 31, 2022. Among the 118 contacted centers, 25 were active to enroll and 19 actively recruiting at the time of data cut-off for a total of 280 patients enrolled. SARS-CoV-2 positivity occurred in 47.5% of patients in 2020, 35.1% in 2021 and 17.4% in 2022. Median age at COVID-19 diagnosis was 60 years. Well differentiated tumors, non-functioning, metastatic stage and gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) primary site represented most of NENs. COVID-19-related pneumonia occurred in 22.8% of the total, with 61.3% of them requiring hospitalization; 11 patients (3.9%) needed sub-intensive or intensive care unit therapies and 14 patients died (5%), in 11 cases (3.9%) directly related to COVID-19. Thoracic and other NEN primary site were associated with hospitalization for COVID-19 and with sub-intensive or intensive care. A significant decrease in both hospitalization and pneumonia occurred in 2022 versus 2020. In our largest series of NEN patients with COVID-19, the NEN population is similar to the general population regardless of COVID-19. However, older age, non-GEP primary sites and diabetes mellitus should be carefully considered for increased COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. Relevant information could be derived by integrating our results with NENs patients included in other cancer patients and COVID-19 registries.

The impact of COVID-19 on the management of neuroendocrine tumors (NETS): An international NET CONNECT survey of NET patients and healthcare professionals treating net patients.

The COVID-19 outbreak has added complexity in the management of patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Little information is currently available regarding the real impact of the pandemic in current practice. The present study aimed to capture patients' and healthcare professionals' experiences on how the NET management has changed during the pandemic and how it should be modified in a foreseeable post-pandemic environment. Physicians and nurses working in ENETS Centers of Excellence or other hospitals with high volume of NET patients (n = 48), as well as NET patients residing worldwide (n = 353), were asked to respond to two online anonymous surveys addressing different aspects of NET care. Deferred diagnoses, delayed surveillance procedures and postponed elective surgeries were among the main negative consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak according to 40%, 54% and 46% of healthcare professionals (HPs) respectively. Somatostatin analogs were increasingly used as bridging strategy for delaying surgery based on the views of 31% of HPs and were self-injected or delivered by home care services more frequently than before the initiation of the pandemic (53% of patients during the pandemic vs. 44% before the pandemic). Multidisciplinary tumor boards kept their usual schedule according to 58% of HPs, but were held virtually in the 77% of cases. The contact with healthcare professionals was maintained by remote methods more often than in the past (69% of patients), but only 34% of patients (59% among subjects < 41 years) would prefer telemedicine to face-to-face consultations in the future. New health policy measures should guarantee the highest standard of treatment to NET patients, regardless of the trajectory followed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the next months. Pros and cons of telemedicine should be carefully weighted before systematic implementation.

Coronavirus disease 2019 in patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms: Preliminary results of the INTENSIVE study.

BACKGROUND: Specific data regarding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are lacking. The aim of this study is to describe the characteristics of patients with NENs who tested severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) positive. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a worldwide study collecting cases of patients with NENs along with a positive nasopharyngeal swab reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test for SARS-CoV-2 between June 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021. Centres treating patients with NENs were directly contacted by the principal investigator. Patients with NENs of any primary site, grade and stage were included, excluding small-cell lung carcinoma and mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma. RESULTS: Among 81 centres directly contacted, 88.8% responded and 48.6% of them declined due to lack of cases or interest. On March 31st, 2021, eight recruiting centres enrolled 89 patients. The median age was 64 years at the time of COVID-19 diagnosis. Most patients had metastatic, non-functioning, low-/intermediate-grade gastroenteropancreatic NENs on treatment with somatostatin analogues and radioligand therapy. Most of them had comorbidities. Only 8% of patients had high-grade NENs and 12% were receiving chemotherapy. Most patients had symptoms or signs of COVID-19, mainly fever and cough. Only 3 patients underwent sub-intensive treatment, whereas most of them received medical therapies, mostly antibiotics. In two third of cases, no changes occurred for the anti-NEN therapy. More than 80% of patients completely recovered without sequelae, whereas 7.8% patients died due to COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: Patients included in this study reflect the typical NEN population regardless of SARS-CoV-2. In most cases, they overcome COVID-19 without need of intensive care, short-term sequelae and discontinuation of systemic oncological therapy.