Universal testing for COVID-19 in patients undergoing cancer treatment during the second outbreak in Brescia.
Tumori
; 108(3): 278-282, 2022 Jun.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1360607
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been overwhelming on patients with cancer, who may be at higher risk of developing severe disease. During the second COVID-19 outbreak in Italy, we planned universal microbiologic screening for patients scheduled for antineoplastic treatment.METHODS:
All patients with planned active treatment at Brescia University Radiation Oncology Department were screened for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA with repeated nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) from October 31, 2020. Treatment continuation, suspension, or delay was modulated for patients testing positive according to clinical presentation.RESULTS:
From October 31, 2020, to February 6, 2021, 636 patients were enrolled and 1243 NPS were performed, of which 28 (2.25%) were positive. The infection rate was 2.52%; 81.3% of the patients with a positive NPS were asymptomatic, 2 had mild disease, and 1 severe disease that led to death. All patients already on treatment with mild or asymptomatic COVID-19 carried on the therapy with no or minimal delay. Median delay for patients with infection detected before treatment start was 16.5 days.CONCLUSIONS:
Detected incidence of COVID-19 was lower during the second outbreak in our patients (2.52% vs 3.23%), despite the extensive testing schedule, and substantiates the high rate of asymptomatic infections and the low mortality among patients with COVID-19 (6.3% vs 38.5% during the first outbreak). Universal SARS-CoV-2 screening for all patients with planned treatment might allow early identification of patients with COVID-19, resulting in timely management that could improve clinical outcomes and prevent spread of the infection.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
COVID-19
/
Neoplasms
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Tumori
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
03008916211034917
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