COVID-19 in cancer patients: update from the joint analysis of the ESMO-CoCARE, BSMO, and PSMO international databases.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has significantly affected patients with cancer and revealed unanticipated challenges in securing optimal cancer care across different disciplines. The European Society for Medical Oncology COVID-19 and CAncer REgistry (ESMO-CoCARE) is an international, real-world database, collecting data on the natural history, management, and outcomes of patients with cancer and SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS: This is the 2nd CoCARE analysis, jointly with Belgian (Belgian Society of Medical Oncology, BSMO) and Portuguese (Portuguese Society of Medical Oncology, PSMO) registries, with data from January 2020 to December 2021. The aim is to identify significant prognostic factors for COVID-19 hospitalization and mortality (primary outcomes), as well as intensive care unit admission and overall survival (OS) (secondary outcomes). Subgroup analyses by pandemic phase and vaccination status were carried out. RESULTS: The cohort includes 3294 patients (CoCARE: 2049; BSMO: 928, all hospitalized by eligibility criteria; PSMO: 317), diagnosed in four distinct pandemic phases (January to May 2020: 36%; June to September 2020: 9%; October 2020 to February 2021: 41%; March to December 2021: 12%). COVID-19 hospitalization rate was 54% (CoCARE/PSMO), ICU admission 14%, and COVID-19 mortality 22% (all data). At a 6-month median follow-up, 1013 deaths were recorded with 73% 3-month OS rate. No significant change was observed in COVID-19 mortality among hospitalized patients across the four pandemic phases (30%-33%). Hospitalizations and ICU admission decreased significantly (from 78% to 34% and 16% to 10%, respectively). Among 1522 patients with known vaccination status at COVID-19 diagnosis, 70% were non-vaccinated, 24% had incomplete vaccination, and 7% complete vaccination. Complete vaccination had a protective effect on hospitalization (odds ratio = 0.24; 95% confidence interval [0.14-0.38]), ICU admission (odds ratio = 0.29 [0.09-0.94]), and OS (hazard ratio = 0.39 [0.20-0.76]). In multivariable analyses, COVID-19 hospitalization was associated with patient/cancer characteristics, the first pandemic phase, the presence of COVID-19-related symptoms or inflammatory biomarkers, whereas COVID-19 mortality was significantly higher in symptomatic patients, males, older age, ethnicity other than Asian/Caucasian, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ≥2, body mass index <25, hematological malignancy, progressive disease versus no evident disease, and advanced cancer stage. CONCLUSIONS: The updated CoCARE analysis, jointly with BSMO and PSMO, highlights factors that significantly affect COVID-19 outcomes, providing actionable clues for further reducing mortality.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy and outcomes from SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with cancer: A joint analysis of OnCovid and ESMO-CoCARE registries

Background: As management and prevention strategies against Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) evolve, it is still uncertain whether prior exposure to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) affects COVID-19 severity in patients (pts) with cancer. Method(s): In a joint analysis of ICI recipients from OnCovid (NCT04393974) and ESMO CoCARE registries, we assessed severity and mortality from SARS-CoV-2 in vaccinated and unvaccinated pts with cancer and explored whether prior immune-related adverse events (irAEs) influenced outcome from COVID-19. Result(s): The study population consisted of 240 pts diagnosed with COVID-19 between Jan 2020 and Feb 2022 exposed to ICI within 3 months prior to COVID-19 diagnosis, with a 30-day case fatality rate (CFR30) of 23.6% (95%CI: 17.8-30.7%). 42 (17.5%) were fully vaccinated prior to COVID-19 and experienced decreased CFR30 (4.8% vs 28.1%, p=0.001), hospitalization rate (27.5% vs 63.2%, p<0.001), requirement of oxygen therapy (15.8% vs 41.5%, p=0.003), COVID-19 complication rate (11.9% vs 34.6%, p=0.004), and COVID-19-specific therapy (26.3% vs 57.9%, p=0.001) compared with unvaccinated pts. IPTW-fitted multivariable analysis, following a clustered-robust correction for the data source (OnCovid vs ESMO CoCARE), confirmed that vaccinated pts experienced a decreased risk of death at 30 days (aOR 0.08, 95%CI: 0.01-0.69). 38 pts (15.8%) experienced at least 1 irAE of any grade at any time prior to COVID-19, at a median time of 3.2 months (0.13-48.7) from COVID-19 diagnosis. IrAEs occurred independently of baseline characteristics except for primary tumour (p=0.037) and were associated with a significantly decreased CFR30 (10.8% vs 26.0%, p=0.0462) additionally confirmed by the IPTW-fitted multivariable analysis (aOR: 0.47, 95%CI: 0.33-0.67). Pts who experienced irAEs also presented a higher median absolute lymphocyte count at COVID-19 (1.4 vs 0.8 109 cells/L, p=0.009). Conclusion(s): Anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination reduces morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 in ICI recipients. History of irAEs might identify pts with pre-existing protection from COVID-19, warranting further investigation of adaptive immune determinants of protection from SARS-CoV-2. Clinical trial identification: NCT04393974 OnCovid. Legal entity responsible for the study: Imperial College London & ESMO. Funding(s): Imperial Biomedical Research Centre ESMO. Disclosure: A. Cortellini: Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: MSD, OncoC4;Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker: Eisai, AstraZeneca;Financial Interests, Personal, Expert Testimony: Iqvia. D.J. Pinato: Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker: ViiV Healthcare, Bayer, BMS, Roche, Eisai, Falk Foundation;Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: Mina Therapuetics, Eisai, Roche, DaVolterra, AstraZeneca. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest. Copyright © 2022 European Society for Medical Oncology

Oncology: navigating the COVID-19 Pandemic and Steer the Course

Medical oncologists are steering a difficult course during the COVID-19 pandemic between three opposing forces: revisiting optimal standards of cancer care, facing constantly evolving shortages as some resources are being redirected, and acknowledging the paradoxical need to keep patients away from the health care facility. This article compiles recommendations from cancer societies and expert opinions to provide guidance and practical solutions for the oncology clinic. We propose that optimal standards of care be upheld, and short-term safety concerns due to exposure to SARS-CoV-2 be weighed against a long-term compromise in cancer prognosis when deciding on adjustments in cancer care. Proper mitigation strategies in the clinic and use of less resource-heavy but equivalent treatment alternatives often allow optimal cancer care. The magnitude of benefit of cancer treatments needs to be systematically considered.

COVID-19 in patients with cancer: first report of the ESMO international, registry-based, cohort study (ESMO-CoCARE).

BACKGROUND: ESMO COVID-19 and CAncer REgistry (ESMO-CoCARE) is an international collaborative registry-based, cohort study gathering real-world data from Europe, Asia/Oceania and Africa on the natural history, management and outcomes of patients with cancer infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). PATIENTS AND METHODS: ESMO-CoCARE captures information on patients with solid/haematological malignancies, diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Data collected since June 2020 include demographics, comorbidities, laboratory measurements, cancer characteristics, COVID-19 clinical features, management and outcome. Parameters influencing COVID-19 severity/recovery were investigated as well as factors associated with overall survival (OS) upon SARS-CoV-2 infection. RESULTS: This analysis includes 1626 patients from 20 countries (87% from 24 European, 7% from 5 North African, 6% from 8 Asian/Oceanian centres), with COVID-19 diagnosis from January 2020 to May 2021. Median age was 64 years, with 52% of female, 57% of cancer stage III/IV and 65% receiving active cancer treatment. Nearly 64% patients required hospitalization due to COVID-19 diagnosis, with 11% receiving intensive care. In multivariable analysis, male sex, older age, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status ≥2, body mass index (BMI) <25 kg/m2, presence of comorbidities, symptomatic disease, as well as haematological malignancies, active/progressive cancer, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) ≥6 and OnCovid Inflammatory Score ≤40 were associated with COVID-19 severity (i.e. severe/moderate disease requiring hospitalization). About 98% of patients with mild COVID-19 recovered, as opposed to 71% with severe/moderate disease. Advanced cancer stage was an additional adverse prognostic factor for recovery. At data cut-off, and with median follow-up of 3 months, the COVID-19-related death rate was 24.5% (297/1212), with 380 deaths recorded in total. Almost all factors associated with COVID-19 severity, except for BMI and NLR, were also predictive of inferior OS, along with smoking and non-Asian ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: Selected patient and cancer characteristics related to sex, ethnicity, poor fitness, comorbidities, inflammation and active malignancy predict for severe/moderate disease and adverse outcomes from COVID-19 in patients with cancer.

Outcome and prognostic factors of COVID-19 infection in cancer patients: Final results of SAKK 80/20

Background: These are the final results of a national registry on COVID-19 in cancer patients in Switzerland. Methods: We collected data on 501 symptomatic COVID-19 infected cancer patients from 23 Swiss sites, starting March 1, 2020. The main objective of the study was to assess the outcome of COVID-19 infection in cancer patients, the main secondary objective was to define prognostic factors. Results: With a cutoff date of March 15, 2021 and exclusion of 46 patients who refused consent, 455 patients were included into the final analysis. Most frequent malignancies were breast in 63 cases (14%) and lung in 47 (10%). Systemic treatment within 3 months prior to COVID-19 diagnosis included chemotherapy in 101 cases (23%), targeted therapy in 94 (21%), steroids in 78 (17%) and checkpoint inhibitors in 34 (8%). 285 patients (63%) were hospitalized for COVID-19, 213 (47%) required oxygen, 43 (9%) invasive ventilation, 62 (14%) were admitted to the ICU. Death from COVID-19 infection occurred in 98 patients, resulting in a mortality rate of 21.5%. Age ≥65 versus <65 (OR 3.35, p = 0.001), non-curative versus curative disease (OR 2.21, p = 0.021), ICU admission (OR 4.53, p <0.001) and oxygen requirement (OR 23.25, p <0.001) were independently associated with increased mortality. Conclusions: We found a high COVID-19 mortality rate of 21.5% in real-world cancer patients for the first wave of the pandemic. The rate of hospitalization and ICU admission for COVID-19 in cancer patients is substantial.

COVID-19 and cancer: First report of the ESMO international, registry-based, cohort study (ESMO CoCARE)

Background: At the height of the first wave of the SARS-COV-2 pandemic, ESMO mobilized to accelerate research for the understanding of COVID-19 in cancer patients (pts). ESMO CoCARE is an international collaborative registry-based, cohort study, gathering real-world data and information from healthcare professionals about the natural history, treatment and outcomes of COVID-19 in cancer pts. Methods: ESMO CoCARE captures information on pts with any solid or hematologic malignancy (including cancer survivors free of disease for ≥5 years) presenting with a COVID-19 diagnosis in any of the participating centers. Data collected since 06/2020 include demographics, cancer characteristics and status, co-morbidities, COVID-19 clinical features, course, management and outcome. Factors influencing COVID-19 severity (hospitalization +/- ICU support needed) and recovery are investigated using multivariable logistic regression with backward elimination method. The study is ongoing. Results: The current analysis includes 1551 registered pts (19 countries;87% pts from 23 European centers, 7% and 6% pts from 5 Northern African and 7 Asian centers), with COVID-19 diagnosis as of 11/03/2021. Median age was 64 years, with the majority female (52%), cancer stage III/IV (58%), and on active cancer treatment (60%). 65% had severe COVID-19 requiring hospitalization, with 11% receiving intensive care. In multivariable analysis, in addition to demographics (male gender, older age, other ethnicity than Caucasian, lower BMI), co-morbidities and symptomatic COVID-19, severe disease was associated to higher ECOG PS (Odds Ratio (OR)2 vs 0=5.9, OR1 vs 0=2.1), hematological malignancies (OR hemvs solid =2.0), and active/progressive cancer status (OR progressivevs no evidence of disease =1.6). 98% of pts with mild disease recovered, as opposed to only 70% of those with severe disease. Cancer stage was an additional prognostic factor for recovery (ORI/II vs IV =3.4). Conclusions: Demographic characteristics, type and status of cancer, and symptomatology of COVID-19 increase the probability of severe disease, while advanced cancer stage is also associated with the risk of death. Legal entity responsible for the study: Institut Curie, Paris, France. Funding: ESMO - European Society for Medical Oncology. Disclosure: E. Romano: Financial Interests, Institutional, Funding, Investigator-initiated trial: AstraZeneca;Financial Interests, Institutional, Funding, Investigator-initiated trial: BMS;Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: AstraZeneca;Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: Merck;Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker: Roche;Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker: Pierre Fabre. R. Lee: Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker: AstraZeneca;Financial Interests, Institutional, Funding: BMS. A. Croitoru: Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Role: Ipsen;Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Role: Astellas;Financial Interests, Personal and Institutional, Funding: Bristol-Myers Squibb;Financial Interests, Personal and Institutional, Funding: Merck;Financial Interests, Personal and Institutional, Funding: Astellas;Financial Interests, Personal and Institutional, Funding: Servier;Financial Interests, Personal and Institutional, Funding: Five Prime Therapeutics;Financial Interests, Personal and Institutional, Funding: Amgen;Financial Interests, Personal, Other, Travel funding: Merck;Financial Interests, Personal, Other, travel funding: Servier;Financial Interests, Personal, Other, travel funding: Roche. S. Susnjar: Financial Interests, Personal, Other, Honoraria and/or advisory fees: Roche;Financial Interests, Personal, Other, Honoraria and/or advisory fees: Pfizer;Financial Interests, Personal, Other, Honoraria and/or advisory fees: Novartis;Financial Interests, Personal, Other, Honoraria and/or advisory fees: AstraZeneca;Financial Interests, Personal, Other, Honoraria and/or advisory fees: Amicus. M. Rossi: Financial Interests, Personal, Other, travel and personal fees: Novartis;Financial terests, Personal, Other, travel and personal fees: Ipsen. O.A. Michielin: Financial Interests, Personal, Other, personal fees: Bristol-Myers Squibb;Financial Interests, Personal, Other, personal fees: MSD;Financial Interests, Personal, Other, personal fees: Novartis;Financial Interests, Personal, Other, personal fees: Roche;Financial Interests, Personal, Other, personal fees: Amgen;Financial Interests, Personal, Other, personal fees: NeraCare GmbH. G. Pentheroudakis: Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: Amgen;Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: AstraZeneca;Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: Bristol Myers Squibb;Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: Lilly;Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: Merck;Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: MSD;Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: Roche;Financial Interests, Institutional, Principal Investigator: AbbVie;Financial Interests, Institutional, Research Grant: Amgen;Financial Interests, Institutional, Principal Investigator, Coordinating PI: Amgen;Financial Interests, Institutional, Research Grant: AstraZeneca;Financial Interests, Institutional, Principal Investigator: AstraZeneca;Financial Interests, Institutional, Research Grant: Boehringer Ingelheim;Financial Interests, Institutional, Funding: Boehringer Ingelheim;Financial Interests, Institutional, Funding: Bristol Myers Squibb;Financial Interests, Institutional, Principal Investigator: Bristol Myers Squibb;Financial Interests, Institutional, Principal Investigator: Debbiopharm;Financial Interests, Institutional, Funding: Enorasis;Financial Interests, Institutional, Funding: Genekor;Financial Interests, Institutional, Funding: Ipsen;Financial Interests, Institutional, Principal Investigator: Ipsen;Financial Interests, Institutional, Funding: Janssen;Financial Interests, Institutional, Principal Investigator: Lilly;Financial Interests, Institutional, Funding: Merck;Financial Interests, Institutional, Principal Investigator: Merck;Financial Interests, Institutional, Funding: MSD;Financial Interests, Institutional, Principal Investigator: MSD;Financial Interests, Institutional, Funding: Pfizer;Financial Interests, Institutional, Principal Investigator: Roche;Financial Interests, Institutional, Research Grant: Roche;Financial Interests, Institutional, Funding: Sanofi;Financial Interests, Institutional, Principal Investigator, Coodinating Pi: Servier;Financial Interests, Institutional, Funding: Servier. S. Peters: Consultation / Advisory role: AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Beigene, Biocartis, Bio Invent, Blueprint Medicines, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Clovis, Daiichi Sankyo, Debiopharm, Eli Lilly, Elsevier, F. Hoffmann-La Roche/Genentech, Foundation Medicine, Illumina, Incyte, IQVIA, Janssen, Medscape, Merck Sharp and Dohme, Merck Serono, Merrimack, Mirati, Novartis, PharmaMar, Phosplatin Therapeutics, Pfizer, Regeneron, Sanofi, Seattle Genetics, Takeda, Vaccibody. Talk in a company’s organized public event: AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, e-cancer, Eli Lilly, F. Hoffmann-La Roche/Genentech, Illumina, Medscape, Merck Sharp and Dohme, Novartis, PER, Pfizer, Prime, RTP, Sanofi, Takeda. Receipt of grants/research supports: (Sub)investigator in trials (institutional financial support for clinical trials) sponsored by Amgen, AstraZeneca, Biodesix, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Clovis, F. Hoffmann-La Roche/Genentech, GSK, Illumina, Lilly, Merck Sharp and Dohme, Merck Serono, Mirati, Novartis, and Pfizer, Phosplatin Therapeutics. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

[Telephone follow-up of SARS-CoV-2 positive patients at the Oncology Department of Lausanne University Hospital]

Compared with the general population, oncology patients face a higher morbidity and mortality caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, health systems had to quickly adapt cancer care in order to maintain the best quality and patient safety. From March to May and from October to December 2020, 254 patients diagnosed with cancer and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 benefited from a tele-health monitoring at the Oncology Department at CHUV. This article describes the key points of the development, implementation and operation of this tele-health monitoring, enabled by an interdisciplinary and inter-professional collaboration between different units and healthcare professionals.

[Impact of COVID pandemic on the detection of skin cancer]

In 2020, we have seen patients with neglected skin cancer in the context of the COVID pandemic. But what is the global health impact of the pandemic on skin cancer patients ? Is it as high as the delayed care of a heart infarct ? To answer this question, we have confronted a theoretic, a probabilistic and a scientific approach. These analyses allow us to conclude that the impact overall was moderate. It allows to draw general guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer for future pandemics.

Thoracic Cancers International COVID-19 Collaboration (TERAVOLT): Impact of type of cancer therapy and COVID therapy on survival

Background: Early reports on cancer patients infected with COVID-19 have suggested a high mortality rate compared to the general population. Patients with thoracic malignancies are considered high risk given their age, preexisting comorbidities, smoking, and pre-existing lung damage in addition to therapies administered to treat their illness. Method: We launched a global consortium to collect data on patients with thoracic malignancies diagnosed with COVID-19 infection to understand the impact on this patient population. Goals of this consortium are to provide data for guidance to oncology professionals on treating patients with thoracic malignancies while understanding the risk factors for morbidity and mortality from this novel virus. Results: As of April 23, 2020, a total of 295 patients across 59 centers and 9 countries have been entered;median age 68, 31% female, 79% current/former smokers, HTN and COPD most common comorbidities;73% NSCLC, 14% SCLC, 4% meso and thymic, 49% patients with stage IV disease, majority on chemo or chemo-IO and 24% receiving RT. The use of IO or chemo-IO does not appear to impact risk of hospitalization, while treatment with TKI appears to be associated with a decreased risk of hospitalization. 73% patients required hospitalization, most common therapy given to treat COVID was antibiotics 67%, antivirals 33%, and steroids 30%. Conclusion: With an ongoing global pandemic of COVID-19 our data suggest that patients with thoracic malignancies are at high risk for hospitalization. Updated results to be presented will include impact on specific chemo-IO regimens and number of lines of therapy, which may impact hospitalization and risk of death as well as which therapies administered may impact survival in patients treated for COVID-19.

Managing cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: an ESMO multidisciplinary expert consensus.

We established an international consortium to review and discuss relevant clinical evidence in order to develop expert consensus statements related to cancer management during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-related disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The steering committee prepared 10 working packages addressing significant clinical questions from diagnosis to surgery. During a virtual consensus meeting of 62 global experts and one patient advocate, led by the European Society for Medical Oncology, statements were discussed, amended and voted upon. When consensus could not be reached, the panel revised statements until a consensus was reached. Overall, the expert panel agreed on 28 consensus statements that can be used to overcome many of the clinical and technical areas of uncertainty ranging from diagnosis to therapeutic planning and treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic.