Management of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients With Lung Cancer: Experience From a Thoracic Oncology Center

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2021

Authors

Coelho, DB (Author) Other; Santos, V (Author) Other; Araújo, D (Author) Other; Bastos, HN (Author) FMUP; Magalhães, A (Author) Other; Hespanhol, V (Author) Other; Queiroga, H (Author) Other; Cruz-Martins, N (Author) Other; Fernandes, MGO (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences

Publisher: Frontiers Media

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 0 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00V-ZSN

DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.639676

Abstract (EN): <jats:sec><jats:title>Background</jats:title><jats:p>Cancer patients appear to be at a higher risk of complications from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Specific data related to lung cancer (LC) patient management, active treatment, and/or recent diagnosis are still very limited. Here, we aimed to investigate the clinical presentation, baseline features, and clinical outcomes of LC patients with COVID-19.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods</jats:title><jats:p>A retrospective case study was performed at Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São Joao, a tertiary hospital in the North of Portugal. Data from LC patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were collected during the first 10 months of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020¿January 2021).</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>Twenty-eight patients with active LC were diagnosed with COVID-19, being adenocarcinoma the most common histological type present (<jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 13, 46.4%). Sixteen patients had metastatic stage IV LC (61.5%). Twenty-five patients (89.3%) had relevant comorbidities including hypertension (39.3%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (32.1%). For patients undergoing antineoplastic treatment, the median time from the last chemotherapy administration to COVID-19 diagnosis was of 16 days (interquartile range = 13¿41 days). Half of patients were previously on corticosteroid therapy. Twenty patients (71.4%) needed hospitalization, 18 received oxygen therapy (64.3%), 3 (10.7%) of them received high-flow nasal cannula with good tolerability, and 1 (3.6%) needed non-invasive ventilation. Hydroxychloroquine and antibiotics were given to 4 (14.3%) and 12 (42.9%) patients, respectively. Seven patients (25%) died at a median time of 5 days following COVID-19 diagnosis.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion</jats:title><jats:p>This is one of the first studies reporting the adverse outcomes associated with COVID-19 in LC patients at same time that adds evidence regarding the need to create protocols and guidelines to reduce the infection risk in such patients.</jats:p></jats:sec>

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific