COVID-19 impact in radiotherapy practice in an oncology hub: a screenshot from Lombardy, Italy.
Tumori
; 107(6): 498-503, 2021 Dec.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-983620
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
During 2020, medical clinical activities were dramatically modified by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency. We aim to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on radiotherapy (RT) practice in a hub cancer center.METHODS:
Retrospective data collection of patients with suspected COVID-19 infection, identified by pathognomonic symptoms feedback at triage realized at the entrance to RT division. Inclusion criteria were diagnosis of oncologic disease, COVID-19-related symptoms, and signed written informed consent.RESULTS:
Between 1 March and 30 June 2020, 1,006 patients accessed our RT division for RT simulation or treatment. Forty-four patients matched inclusion criteria (4.4% of all patients) 29 women and 15 men. Seventeen patients had metastatic disease. Twenty-one patients reported fever, 6 presented dyspnea, 4 complained of ageusia and anosmia, and 3 developed conjunctivitis. Thirty-six patients underwent nasal swab, with 7 positive results. From our cohort, 4 cases of pneumonia were diagnosed with computed tomography scan imaging 3 were related to COVID-19 infection, while the fourth was evaluated as an RT adverse event. From the entire series, 4 patients died 3 during hospitalization in intensive care unit of complications of COVID-19 and 1 of other causes neither COVID-19 nor cancer-related.CONCLUSIONS:
Cancer hub allows for safe RT practice continuation while minimizing the spread of contagion in this frail patient population. A challenge for the future will be to understand pandemic consequences in cancer natural history and manage its clinical impact.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Radiotherapy
/
Practice Patterns, Physicians'
/
Radiation Oncology
/
SARS-CoV-2
/
COVID-19
/
Neoplasms
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
Tumori
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
0300891620980065
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