Scientific research with cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: an experience report

Scientific research brings resolutions to several problems in society, supporting clinical performance in health. Work with cancer patients needs to be even more careful. During the COVID-19 pandemic, cancer patients enter the risk group for exposure to the virus, limiting the monitoring of the disease, impairing treatment. New health technologies and telemedicine have been on the rise in recent years, changing the course of medicine, research and health care. Its implementation and validation have been widely discussed in recent years, and it was greatly encouraged by the COVID-19 pandemic. To report the development, adaptations and the six-month longitudinal follow-up of 20 individuals who underwent thyroidectomy at a university hospital. The research flowchart initially persisted in evaluating symptoms and vocal fatigue in individuals undergoing thyroidectomy due to thyroid cancer at three times: pre-surgical (M1), immediate post-surgical (M2) and late post-surgical (M3) in three to six months. The individuals were submitted to videolaryngoscopy, voice recording, voice acoustic analysis and completion of self-assessment protocols along with the medical consultation. All assessments were performed on an outpatient basis at the three times described. The research began in October 2019, and was interrupted at the beginning of the pandemic. In February 2020 we obtained eight cases with the two initial assessments, and only two cases with M3. Due to the pandemic, the surgeries were suspended and the continuity of the study was impaired, requiring modifications. The initial goal was to last nine months with 30 individuals in the sample. New cases were followed up from October 2020 until May 2021 when there was a reduction in cases. At the end, all data from 20 individuals in this period of the research were collected. The completion time increased from nine months to 20 months. None of the patients were infected by COVID-19 during the research period. Therefore, the treatment of cancer patients encompasses several aspects that have been hampered by its continuity, delaying deadlines and making access difficult by COVID-19. As well as, scientific research in this population has undergone several adaptations to preserve the health of individuals, not unnecessarily exposing them to contamination with the virus. Monitoring by telemedicine proved to be effective for the initial objectives of this study, but it may limit it depending on the type of proposed intervention. Despite the existing pandemic, scientific production should not be stopped because it brings discoveries that aim to improve the health of the population.

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Clinical and pathological characteristics of triple-negative breast cancer patients: A single-center experience.

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2012.30.15_suppl.e11515 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 30 (15_suppl) ◽

pp. e11515-e11515

Author(s):

Aydan Akdeniz ◽

Selim Yalcin ◽

Samed Rahatli ◽

Nadire Kucukoztas ◽

Mahmut Can Yagmurdur ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Triple Negative Breast Cancer ◽

Triple Negative ◽

University Hospital ◽

High Grade ◽

Breast Cancer Patients ◽

Pathological Characteristics ◽

Younger Age

e11515 Background: Triple negative breast cancer in which estrogen, progesterone receptors and c-erbB2 overexpression are negative, seems to have different clinical course and recurrence pattern. Methods: We evaluated retrospectively clinical demographic and pathological characteristics of triple negative breast cancers and investigated the association of these characteristics with OS and PFS. Results: 59 early stage patients with triple negative breast cancer patients followed in Baskent University Hospital between 1997-2009 were enrolled into the study. The median age of patients was 49. Median follow-up duration was 27 months (0.27-132 months). Two patients died during the follow-up. Invasive ductal carcinoma pathology was reported in 38 patients, invasive lobular in 3 patients, medullary in 5 patients.Almost half of the patients had LVI. 79% of patients had a T2 disease. 30% of patients’ tumor histological grade was III. Cancer history in the family was present in 95% of patients. Almost half of the patients had stage II disease. Adjuvant chemotherapy was given to 43 patients. Relapses were observed in 15 patients.The most common metastatic site was lung. Patients having high grade tumor, >3 (+) lymph nodes, younger age have higher chance of relapse during follow-up. Conclusions: In accordance with the literature, our triple negative breast cancer patients showed more aggressive characteristics. Although median follow-up is short, one-fourth of the patients having recurrence support natue of the triple negative breast cancer patients. In our study, triple negative patients had younger age at diagnosis, high grade tumors and more tendency to metastasize to visceral organs.

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Is There a Role for Primary Care in the Follow-Up of Colorectal Cancer Patients? The Case of a Portuguese University Hospital

Portuguese Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1159/000492345 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 72-80

Author(s):

Maria Margarida Costa Ferreira Bandarra ◽

Ana Escoval ◽

Luís Marques da Costa

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Primary Care ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

University Hospital ◽

Colorectal Cancer Patients

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SARS-CoV-2 seroconversions and chains of infection in healthcare professionals in a German maximum care provider (The CoSHeP study)

Infection ◽

10.1007/s15010-021-01641-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kathrin van Bremen ◽

Malte Monin ◽

Anna Maria Eis-Hübinger ◽

Benjamin Marx ◽

Souhaib Aldabaggh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Professionals ◽

University Hospital ◽

Self Assessment ◽

Time Points ◽

Longitudinal Observational Study ◽

Infectious Disease Department ◽

The University ◽

Pcr Test ◽

Low Rate

Abstract Introduction The CoSHeP study provides novel data on SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion rates in healthcare professionals (HP) at risk at the University Hospital Bonn, a maximum healthcare provider in a region of 900.000 inhabitants. Methods Single-center, longitudinal observational study investigating rate of SARS-CoV-2 IgG seroconversion in HP at 2 time-points. SARS-CoV-2 IgG was measured with Roche Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 assay. Results Overall, 150 HP were included. Median age was 35 (range: 19–68). Main operational areas were intensive care unit (53%, n = 80), emergency room (31%, n = 46), and infectious disease department (16%, n = 24). SARS-CoV-2-IgG was detected in 5 participants (3%) at inclusion in May/June 2020, and in another 11 participants at follow-up (December 2020/ January 2021). Of the 16 seropositive participants, 14 had already known their SARS-CoV-2 infection because they had performed a PCR-test previously triggered by symptoms. Trailing chains of infection by self-assessment, 31% (n = 5) of infections were acquired through private contacts, 25% (n = 4) most likely through semi-private contacts during work. 13% (n = 2) were assumed to result through contact with contagious patients, further trailing was unsuccessful in 31% (n = 5). All five participants positive for SARS-CoV-2 IgG at inclusion remained positive with a median of 7 months after infection. Discussion Frontline HP caring for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 are at higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Noteworthy, based upon identified chains of infection most of the infections were acquired in private environment and semi-private contacts during work. The low rate of infection through infectious patients reveals that professional hygiene standards are effective in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections in HP. Persisting SARS-CoV-2-IgG might indicate longer lasting immunity supporting prioritization of negative HP for vaccination.

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Pleuro-pulmonary ultrasound in the diagnosis and follow-up of lung infections in children with cancer: a pilot sudy

10.22541/au.162281697.79576084/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mariaclaudia Meli ◽

Milena La Spina ◽

Gian Luca Trobia ◽

Luca Lo Nigro ◽

Giovanna Russo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cancer Patients ◽

Predictive Value ◽

High Specificity ◽

Chest Ct ◽

University Hospital ◽

Children With Cancer ◽

Specificity And Sensitivity ◽

Pediatric Cancer Patients ◽

Lung Infections

Febrile neutropenia and lung infections are common and potential fatal complications of pediatric cancer patients during chemotherapy. Lung ultrasound (LUS) has a good accurancy in the diagnosis of pneumonia in childhood. To our knowledge there are no studies concerning its utilization in the diagnosis and follow-up of pulmonary infection in children with cancer. The goal of this pilot study is to determine the accuracy of lung ultrasonography for the diagnosis and follow up of pneumonia in children and adolescents with cancer during fever. This is a prospective observational case-control monocentric study conducted in the Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Department of University Hospital of Catania in patients aged<18 years with cancer, with or without fever. Attending Physician used ultrasonography to diagnose pneumonia in children with cancer during fever. Non infected cancer patients were also tested with LUS to evaluate its accuracy. When performed, the results of chest X-ray and chest CT scan were compared with LUS results. Thirty-eight patients were studied. All underwent LUS, 16 underwent CXR, 3 chest CT. Statistical analysis showed LUS specificity of 95%, and sensitivity of 100%; CXR, instead showed a specificity of 80% and a sensitivity of 50%. The positive predictive value of LUS was 90% while that of CXR was 50%. The negative predictive value of LUS was 100% while that of CXR was 80%.This study shows for the first time that LUS allows physicians to diagnose pneumonia in children and young adults with cancer, with high specificity and sensitivity.

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