COVID-19 and radiation oncology: the experience of a two-phase plan within a single institution in central Italy
coronavirus, covid-19, Pandemic, SARS-CoV-2, Radiation oncology, radiotherapy
Abstract Background COVID-19 in Italy has led to the need to reorganize hospital protocols with a significant risk of interruption to cancer treatment programs. In this report, we will focus on a management model covering the two phases of the COVID-19 emergency, namely lockdown-phase I and post-lockdown-phase II. Methods The following steps were taken in the two phases: workload during visits and radiotherapy planning, use of dedicated routes, measures for triage areas, management of suspected and positive COVID-19 cases, personal protective equipment, hospital environments and intra-institutional meetings and tumor board management. Due to the guidelines set out by the Ministry of Health, oncological follow-up visits were interrupted during the lockdown-phase I; consequently, we set about contacting patients by telephone, with laboratory and instrumental exams being viewed via telematics. During the post-lockdown-phase II, the oncological follow-up clinic reopened, with two shifts operating daily. Results By comparing our radiotherapy activity from March 9 to May 4 2019 with the same period in 2020 during full phase I of the COVID-19 emergency, similar results were achieved. First radiotherapy visits, Simulation Computed Tomography and Linear Accelerator treatments amounted to 123, 137 and 151 in 2019 compared with 121, 135 and 170 in 2020 respectively. There were no cases of COVID-19 positivity recorded either in patients or in healthcare professionals, who were all negative to the swab tests performed. Conclusion During both phases of the COVID-19 emergency, the planned model used in our own experience guaranteed both continuity in radiotherapy treatments whilst neither reducing workload nor interrupting treatment and, as such, it ensured the safety of cancer patients, hospital environments and staff.
Luciana Caravatta, Consuelo Rosa, Maria Bernadette Di Sciascio, Andrea Tavella Scaringi, Angelo Di Pilla, Lucia Anna Ursini, Maria Taraborrelli, Annamaria Vinciguerra, Antonietta Augurio, Monica Di Tommaso, Marianna Trignani, Marianna Nuzzo, Maria Daniela Falco, Andrea De Nicola, Nico Adorante, Fabiola Patani, Giuseppe Centofanti, Lucrezia Gasparini, David Fasciolo, Fiorella Cristina Di Guglielmo, Cecilia Bonfiglio, Marzia Borgia, Gabriella Caravaggio, Stefano Marcucci, Consalvo Turchi, Domenico Mancinelli, Stephanie Sartori, Thomas Schael, Angelo Muraglia, Sergio Caputi, Claudio D’Amario, Nicoletta Verì, Domenico Genovesi
Medical physics. Medical radiology. Nuclear medicine, Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens