Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (Jul 2020)
Impact of COVID-19 outbreak on cancer immunotherapy in Italy: a survey of young oncologists
- Dario Trapani,
- Margaret Ottaviano,
- Pasquale Rescigno,
- Marianna Tortora,
- Giovannella Palmieri,
- Michele Aieta,
- Pasquale Assalone,
- Laura Attademo,
- Francesco Bloise,
- Davide Bosso,
- Valentina Borzillo,
- Giuseppe Buono,
- Giuseppe Calderoni,
- Francesca Caputo,
- Diletta Cavallero,
- Alessia Cavo,
- Raffaele Conca,
- Vincenza Conteduca,
- Stefano De Falco,
- Marco De Felice,
- Michelino De Laurentiis,
- Pietro De Placido,
- Irene De Santo,
- Alfonso De Stefano,
- Rossella Di Franco,
- Vincenzo Di Lauro,
- Antonietta Fabbrocini,
- Piera Federico,
- Pasqualina Giordano,
- Mario Giuliano,
- Antonella Lucia Marretta,
- Alessia Mennitto,
- Sara Merler,
- Valeria Merz,
- Carlo Messina,
- Monica Milano,
- Alessandro Marco Minisini,
- Brigitta Mucci,
- Lucia Nappi,
- Fabiana Napolitano,
- Immacolata Paciolla,
- Martina Pagliuca,
- Sara Parola,
- Angelica Petrillo,
- Francovito Piantedosi,
- Fernanda Picozzi,
- Erica Pietroluongo,
- Veronica Prati,
- Vittorio Riccio,
- Mario Rosanova,
- Alice Rossi,
- Anna Russo,
- Giuseppe Santabarbara,
- Antonia Silvestri,
- Massimiliano Spada,
- Paolo Tarantino,
- Paola Taveggia,
- Federica Tomei,
- Tortora Vincenzo,
- Claudia Trojanello,
- Sabrina Vari,
- Jole Ventriglia,
- Fabiana Vitiello,
- Caterina Vivaldi,
- Claudia von Arx,
- Francesca Zacchi,
- Ilaria Zampiva,
- Andrea Zivi
Affiliations
- Dario Trapani
- Division of Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milano, Lombardia, Italy
- Margaret Ottaviano
- Oncology Unit, Ospedale del Mare, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Pasquale Rescigno
- Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Marianna Tortora
- CRCTR Coordinating Rare Tumors Reference Center of Campania Region, AOU Federico II, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Giovannella Palmieri
- CRCTR Coordinating Rare Tumors Reference Center of Campania Region, AOU Federico II, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Michele Aieta
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Onco-Hematology, IRCCS-CROB Referral Cancer Center of Basilicata, Rionero in Vulture, Basilicata, Italy
- Pasquale Assalone
- Oncology Unit, Ospedale Ferdinando Veneziale, Isernia, Molise, Italy
- Laura Attademo
- Department of Urology and Gynecology, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione Pascale, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Francesco Bloise
- Medical Oncology Unit, University of Pisa, Pisa, Toscana, Italy
- Davide Bosso
- Oncology Unit, Ospedale del Mare, Napoli, Italy
- Valentina Borzillo
- Department of Radioterapia, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione Pascale, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Giuseppe Buono
- Oncology Unit, San Rocco Hospital, Sessa Aurunca, Campania, Italy
- Giuseppe Calderoni
- Oncology Unit, Ospedale Della Murgia, Bari, Puglia, Italy
- Francesca Caputo
- U.O.C. Oncologia, Azienda Ospedaliera dei Colli, Monaldi Hospital, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Diletta Cavallero
- Medical Oncology Unit, University of Pisa, Pisa, Toscana, Italy
- Alessia Cavo
- Oncology Unit, Villa Scassi Hospital, Genova, Italy
- Raffaele Conca
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Onco-Hematology, IRCCS-CROB Referral Cancer Center of Basilicata, Rionero in Vulture, Basilicata, Italy
- Vincenza Conteduca
- Medical Oncology Department, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
- Stefano De Falco
- Oncology Unit, Sant’Ottone Frangipane Hospital, Avellino, Campania, Italy
- Marco De Felice
- Oncology, Department of Precision Medicine, Università della Campania 'L. Vanvitelli', Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Michelino De Laurentiis
- Breast Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione Pascale, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Pietro De Placido
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Oncology Unit, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Irene De Santo
- Oncology Unit, Gemelli Molise s.p.a, Campobasso, Molise, Italy
- Alfonso De Stefano
- Abdominal Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione Pascale, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Rossella Di Franco
- Department of Radioterapia, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione Pascale, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Vincenzo Di Lauro
- Breast Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione Pascale, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Antonietta Fabbrocini
- Oncology Unit, Ospedale del Mare, Napoli, Italy
- Piera Federico
- Oncology Unit, Ospedale del Mare, Napoli, Italy
- Pasqualina Giordano
- Oncology Unit, Ospedale del Mare, Napoli, Italy
- Mario Giuliano
- CRCTR Coordinating Rare Tumors Reference Center of Campania Region, AOU Federico II, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Antonella Lucia Marretta
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Oncology Unit, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Alessia Mennitto
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Lombardia, Italy
- Sara Merler
- Department of Oncology, University of Verona, Verona, Veneto, Italy
- Valeria Merz
- Department of Medical Oncology, Santa Chiara Hospital, Trento, Trentino Alto Adige, Italy
- Carlo Messina
- Department of Medical Oncology, Santa Chiara Hospital, Trento, Trentino Alto Adige, Italy
- Monica Milano
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milano, Lombardia, Italy
- Alessandro Marco Minisini
- Department of Oncology, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata del Friuli Centrale, Udine, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy
- Brigitta Mucci
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Oncology Unit, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Lucia Nappi
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada and British Columbia Cancer Agency—Vancouver Center—Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Fabiana Napolitano
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Oncology Unit, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Immacolata Paciolla
- Oncology Unit, Ospedale Sacro Cuore di Gesù Fatebenefratelli, Benevento, Campania, Italy
- Martina Pagliuca
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Oncology Unit, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Sara Parola
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Oncology Unit, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Angelica Petrillo
- Oncology Unit, Ospedale del Mare, Napoli, Italy
- Francovito Piantedosi
- U.O.C. Pneumologia Oncologica, Azienda Ospedaliera dei Colli, Monaldi Hospital, Naples, Campania, Italy
- Fernanda Picozzi
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Oncology Unit, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Erica Pietroluongo
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Oncology Unit, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Veronica Prati
- Medical Oncology Unit, ASL CN2, Alba, Piemonte, Italy
- Vittorio Riccio
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Oncology Unit, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Mario Rosanova
- Oncology Unit, Ospedale del Mare, Napoli, Italy
- Alice Rossi
- Department of Oncology, University of Verona, Verona, Veneto, Italy
- Anna Russo
- Medical Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Giovanni Paolo II, Bari, Puglia, Italy
- Giuseppe Santabarbara
- Division of Medical Oncology, 'San Giuseppe Moscati' Hospital, Avellino, Campania, Italy
- Antonia Silvestri
- Oncology Unit, Ospedale del Mare, Napoli, Italy
- Massimiliano Spada
- Oncology Unit, Fondazione Istituto San Raffaele G Giglio di Cefalu, Cefalu, Sicilia, Italy
- Paolo Tarantino
- Division of Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milano, Lombardia, Italy
- Paola Taveggia
- Oncology Unit, Villa Scassi Hospital, Genova, Italy
- Federica Tomei
- Oncology Unit, Ospedale Ferdinando Veneziale, Isernia, Molise, Italy
- Tortora Vincenzo
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Oncology Unit, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Claudia Trojanello
- Unit of Melanoma, Cancer Immunotherapy and Development Therapeutics, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione Pascale, Napoli, Campania, Italy
- Sabrina Vari
- Medical Oncology 1 Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Lazio, Italy
- Jole Ventriglia
- Oncology Division, ASL San Felice a Cancello, Caserta, Campania, Italy
- Fabiana Vitiello
- U.O.C. Pneumologia Oncologica, Azienda Ospedaliera dei Colli, Monaldi Hospital, Naples, Campania, Italy
- Caterina Vivaldi
- Medical Oncology Unit, University of Pisa, Pisa, Toscana, Italy
- Claudia von Arx
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College, London, UK
- Francesca Zacchi
- Oncology Unit, Università degli Studi di Verona, sede Borgo Roma, Verona, Veneto, Italy
- Ilaria Zampiva
- Oncology Unit, Università degli Studi di Verona, sede Borgo Roma, Verona, Veneto, Italy
- Andrea Zivi
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College, London, UK
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1136/jitc-2020-001154
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 8,
no. 2
Abstract
Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has overwhelmed the health systems worldwide. Data regarding the impact of COVID-19 on cancer patients (CPs) undergoing or candidate for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are lacking. We depicted the practice and adaptations in the management of patients with solid tumors eligible or receiving ICIs during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a special focus on Campania region.Methods This survey (25 questions), promoted by the young section of SCITO (Società Campana di ImmunoTerapia Oncologica) Group, was circulated among Italian young oncologists practicing in regions variously affected by the pandemic: high (group 1), medium (group 2) and low (group 3) prevalence of SARS-CoV-2–positive patients. For Campania region, the physician responders were split into those working in cancer centers (CC), university hospitals (UH) and general hospitals (GH). Percentages of agreement, among High (H) versus Medium (M) and versus Low (L) group for Italy and among CC, UH and GH for Campania region, were compared by using Fisher’s exact tests for dichotomous answers and χ2 test for trends relative to the questions with 3 or more options.Results This is the first Italian study to investigate the COVID-19 impact on cancer immunotherapy, unique in its type and very clear in the results. The COVID-19 pandemic seemed not to affect the standard practice in the prescription and delivery of ICIs in Italy. Telemedicine was widely used. There was high consensus to interrupt immunotherapy in SARS-CoV-2–positive patients and to adopt ICIs with longer schedule interval. The majority of the responders tended not to delay the start of ICIs; there were no changes in supportive treatments, but some of the physicians opted for delaying surgeries (if part of patients’ planned treatment approach). The results from responders in Campania did not differ significantly from the national ones.Conclusion Our study highlights the efforts of Italian oncologists to maintain high standards of care for CPs treated with ICIs, regardless the regional prevalence of COVID-19, suggesting the adoption of similar solutions. Research on patients treated with ICIs and experiencing COVID-19 will clarify the safety profile to continue the treatments, thus informing on the most appropriate clinical conducts.