Organ preservation following radiation therapy and concurrent intra‐arterial low dose cisplatin infusion for advanced T2 and T3 laryngeal cancer: Long‐term clinical results from a pilot study

Objectives: The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as pandemic in March 2020. Currently there is no specific effective treatment for COVID-19. The major cause of death in COVID-19 is severe pneumonia leading to respiratory failure. Radiation in low doses (<100 cGy) has been known for its anti-inflammatory effect and therefore, low dose radiation therapy (LDRT) to lungs can potentially mitigate the severity of pneumonia and reduce mortality. We conducted a pilot trial to study the feasibility and clinical efficacy of LDRT to lungs in the management of patients with COVID-19. Methods: From June to Aug 2020, we enrolled 10 patients with COVID-19 having moderate to severe risk disease [National Early Warning Score (NEWS) of ≥5]. Patients were treated as per the standard COVID-19 management guidelines along with LDRT to both lungs with a dose of 70cGy in single fraction. Response assessment was done based on the clinical parameters using the NEWS. Results: All patients completed the prescribed treatment. Nine patients had complete clinical recovery mostly within a period ranging from 3 to 7 days. One patient, who was a known hypertensive, showed clinical deterioration and died 24 days after LDRT. No patients showed the signs of acute radiation toxicity. Conclusion: The results of our pilot study suggest that LDRT is feasible in COVID-19 patients having moderate to severe disease. Its clinical efficacy may be tested by conducting randomized controlled trials. Advances in knowledge: LDRT has shown promising results in COVID-19 pneumonia and should be researched further through randomized controlled trials.

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Review of Radiation Technologies for the Treatment of Covid-19 Coronavirus Infection

Medical Radiology and radiation safety ◽

10.12737/1024-6177-2021-66-1-59-62 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 66 (1) ◽

pp. 59-62

Author(s):

E Sarapultseva ◽

A Garmash ◽

E Gromushkina ◽

E Gameeva ◽

D Maksarova

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trials ◽

Radiation Therapy ◽

Low Dose ◽

Circulatory System ◽

Scientific Data ◽

Low Dose Radiation ◽

Radiation Induced ◽

Coronavirus Infection ◽

Dose Radiation

Due to the long-term lack of effective pharmacological concepts, the situation with the spread of a new coronavirus infection in 2019 (COVID-19) has aroused interest in considering the possible use of radiation technologies, including historical reports on the treatment of patients with pneumonia using low-dose radiation therapy. A brief review of articles on clinical trials of radiation technologies in the fight against COVID-19 is conducted. The authors of most of the analyzed articles, as well as the authors of this review, conclude that the available scientific data do not justify clinical trials of low-dose radiation therapy for the treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia due to the unclear benefits and risks of mortality from radiation-induced diseases, including radiogenic cancer and diseases of the circulatory system.

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