Background: We describe cancer patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection treated at the Piacenza’s general hospital (north Italy). Materials & methods: 25 cancer patients infected by COVID-19 admitted at the Piacenza’s general hospital from 21 February to 18 March 2020. Outcome from the infection were compared with infected noncancer patients. Results: 20 patients (80%) were treated with antiviral therapy and hydroxychloroquine and five (20%) received hydroxychloroquine alone. Nine (36%) patients died, while 16 (64%) overcome the infection. In the control group the mortality was 16.13% and the overcome from infection was 83.87%. Conclusion: Mortality for COVID-19 was greater in cancer patients when compared with noncancer patients, worse prognosis for older age, women and patients treated with hydroxychloroquine alone. However, the comparisons did not reach statistical significance in most cases. This could be due to the small sample size that is the main limitation of the study.

PurposeMetastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the leading cause of death from cancer worldwide, is a debilitating disease that results in a high burden of symptoms and poor quality of life; the estimated prognosis after the diagnosis has been established was less than 1 year until some years ago. At the present, the new targeted therapies and immunotherapy are changing the course of the disease. However, advanced NSCLC remains an incurable disease, with a poor prognosis for the majority of the affected patients, so that quality of life and relief from symptoms are primary objectives of treatment. Some evidences suggest that early palliative care (EPC) for these patients can improve quality of life and even survival.DesignA systematic review of the studies evaluating the impact on objective and on patient-reported outcomes of the introduction of EPC in opposition to standard care (SC), for advanced lung cancer patients, was performed. Because of the small number of studies conducted in this area, retrospective studies were also considered for the review.ResultsFive studies were included because they matched the inclusion criteria previously defined as relevant for the study. The review found that both survival and quality of life were better for patients included in EPC groups.ConclusionsWhile results of the studies included in this review are not always comparable because different methods and scales have been used, there is enough evidence for clinical oncologists to implement the use of EPC in clinical practice for advanced lung cancer patients.

Patients with cancer are among the most vulnerable groups of the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas vaccinations can represent a cornerstone in overcoming the pandemic itself. However, cancer patients were excluded from clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccinations, and thus the data on the immunogenicity and safety of COVID-19 vaccines in cancer patients are limited. In this systematic review, we assessed the seroconversion rate and the safety of COVID-19 vaccinations in cancer patients. We searched a bibliographic database up until 31 July 2021. Utilizing inclusion criteria, six studies were selected and analyzed for this meta-analysis. This included 621 cancer patients and 256 controls. Results show that patients with solid tumors show adequate antibody responses (>90%), though the antibody titers were significantly lower than those of healthy controls. Similarly, a significantly lower rate of seroconversion was registered in patients with hematologic malignances. The vaccines showed a good safety profile; no grade 3–4 adverse events were registered. This review demonstrates generally high immunogenicity from COVID-19 vaccines in patients with cancer, with better results for solid tumors than hematological malignances, and with a good safety profile.

Background: Cancer patients are considered a highly fragile group in the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Material & methods: In this study, patients with COVID-19 and cancer, hospitalized in Piacenza, Italy, from 4 April to 4 May 2020 were included. Risk factors for death were analyzed. Results: Fifty-one COVID-19 cancer patients were included, of which the median age was 71.02 years (range: 51–86) and 70.59% were male. Cancer types included gastrointestinal (25.49%), genitourinary (25.49%) and lung (23.53%). Forty-five (88.24%) patients received hydroxychloroquine-based therapy. In addition, 25 of 51 patients died (49%): 12 of 51 (23.53%) owing to cancer and 13 of 51 (25.49%) owing to COVID-19. Conclusion: The risks for death were related to later onset of treatment for COVID-19, severe/critical COVID-19, age, elevated basal CRP and elevated lactate dehydrogenase.

Mortality from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is higher among patients with cancer. Vaccination represents a cornerstone in overcoming the disease, and vaccine safety needs to be closely assessed. This article discusses two cases of herpes zoster (HZ) following the administration of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in patients who are long-term survivors of breast disease. HZ developed 24 days and two days after the second dose of the vaccine in women aged 81 and 61, respectively. These two patients were breast cancer operated respectively nine and 16 years before; interestingly HZ developed in the same site of previous surgical resection. The patients did not show lymphocytopenia or other signs of immunosuppression and were treated with acyclovir, resulting in the complete resolution of HZ. To our knowledge, these two patients are the first described cases of HZ reactivation following COVID-19 vaccination in cancer survivors.