ABSTRACT
Introduction: The SARS-CoV-2 spread has led to a revolution in the healthcare. Veneto Institute of Oncology has adopted contagion containment measures to guarantee a greater level of protection to cancer patients. The anti- COVID vaccination for cancer patients has been a priority for the national health system and the institute has implemented a vaccination campaign to ensure coverage for patients. A survey was developed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients' perceptions about the measures taken to limit the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infections and their concern about their cancer care. A questionnaire on the degree of satisfaction with vaccination was administered after anti-COVID vaccination. Methods: The Survey was distributed to all patients who entered in hospital during analysis period and it was divided into 3 items: characteristics of patients, concerns about the pandemic on their cancer path, perception of the measures adopted by the institute to limit the spread of the infection. The vaccination questionnaire was distributed to a cohort of vaccinated patients and explored the degree of satisfaction with the vaccination campaign. Results: From May18th until June15th, 3238 questionnaires were completed. Most of the responders said they were concerned about SARS-CoV-2 pandemic while keeping the concern for oncological disease as a priority. All measures (triage for hospital access, restrictions for caregivers, use of personal protective equipment, sanitization of environments) have been appreciated by patients. Telemedicine was positively evaluated by the responders while, the absence of the caregiver during visit, does not seem to have determined discomfort in about two thirds of patients. From April26th until May14th 2021, 356 vaccination questionnaires were completed. 60% of responders were female;90% were on active cancer treatment and 33% of the patients reported adverse events related to the anti-COVID vaccination. Patients expressed a high degree of satisfaction with the vaccination campaign (99% were satisfied/very satisfied) Conclusions: This survey reported the point of view of cancer patients regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the oncological activities of which they are protagonists and patients' perceptions of the anti-COVID vaccination campaign. We believe that the perspective of patients can be crucial to help the reorganization of the health system, especially in this period of medical emergency.
ABSTRACT
Background: No data have been published on the safety of Covid-19 vaccines in cancer patients (pts). Patients and methods: Pts undergoing anti-cancer treatment who were vaccinated with anti-SARS-CoV-2 Pfizer- BioNTech vaccine (Comirnatyc) at Istituto Oncologico Veneto - IOV, IRCCS, Padova, were instructed to report adverse drug reactions (ADRs) through the national pharmacovigilance platform (www.vigicovid.it) either directly or through the treating oncologist. ADRs were then retrieved from vigiCOVID. Results: From March 6th to May 9th 2021, a total of 5297 pts treated at Istituto Oncologico Veneto - IOV for either solid (87%) or onco-hematologic malignancies (13%) have been vaccinated with two 30 μg doses of BNT162b2 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Overall 10.820 doses of vaccine have been administered, with 226 pts (1.8%) who received the first dose not completing the planned second dose because of either worsening of general conditions, admission to other hospital wards, occurrence of COVID-19, or death. Globally 207 pts (3.9%) refused vaccination. About 80% of pts were actively receiving oncological treatment, and 20% had completed it in the past 6 months, with half of the pts receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy, and the other half either immunotherapy, targeted therapy or a combination of targeted therapy and endocrine therapy. No specific timing regarding chemotherapy schedule was required, except pts were not vaccinated on the same day of chemotherapy, and vaccine was preferentially administered before chemotherapy start. Eight ADRs were reported. Seven were non-severe ADRs (fainting, hypertensive episode, hypotension;skeletal pain, muscle pain, fever, rhinitis;back pain, fatigue, fever;reddening at injection site, hot flashes;tongue pruritus;paresthesia, pruritus, skin rash;headache, myalgia, fever, rigidity), and resolved within 48 hours. The severe ADR was a central retinal artery thrombosis in a patient treated with gefitinib for EGFR-mutated non small cell lung cancer, causing blindness in the affected eye. Patient was treated with acetilsalicilic acid, with condition not resolved to date. Only 4 pts experienced hypersensitivity reactions, which were not serious and resolved in less than one hour. Conclusions: Though it is likely that frequent, minor ADRs such as pain at the injection site may be underreported, our data confirm safety of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in the largest cohort of cancer pts reported to date.