COVID-19 and radiation oncology: the experience of a two-phase plan within a single institution in central Italy

Caravatta, L.; Rosa, Consuelo; Sciascio, Maria Bernadette Di; Scaringi, Andrea Tavella; Pilla, Angelo Di; Ursini, Lucia Anna; Taraborrelli, Maria; Vinciguerra, A.; Augurio, Antonietta; Tommaso, M. Di; Trignani, Marianna; Nuzzo, M.; Falco, M.D.; Nicola, A. De; Adorante, N.; Patani, F.; Centofanti, Giuseppe; Gasparini, L.; Fasciolo, D.; Guglielmo, F.C. Di; Bonfiglio, Cecilia; Borgia, M.; Caravaggio, Gabriella; Marcucci, Stefano; Turchi, Consalvo; Mancinelli, Domenico; Sartori, Stephanie; Schael, Thomas; Muraglia, Angelo; Caputi, Sergio; D’Amario, Claudio; Verì, Nicoletta; Genovesi, Domenico

doi:10.1186/s13014-020-01670-9

Cited by 12 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Hypofractionated radiation therapy was applied when possible to limit patient trips [ 8 ]. This caused a minor decrease in the number of radiotherapy sessions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Major impact of COVID-19 national containment on activities in the French northern comprehensive cancer center

et al. 2021

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The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has significantly impacted cancer patient management. National and local recommendations to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission have been applied in a comprehensive cancer center located in Northern France. We prospectively measured key indicators for three successive eight-week periods: directly before, during, and right after the containment (from 16 March to 10 May 2020). Overall, the number of newly diagnosed and referred cancer patients in our hospital steadily increased (1027; 1135 and then 1704; +11% during containment and +50% just after). To reduce patient transportation, teleconsultations were implemented. Teleconsulting activity steadily increased during the three periods (5, 2025, and 2351). However, a marked decrease in the number of surgical procedures was observed (448; 330 and 288; −26% during containment and −13% just after). We observed a slight decrease in the number of radiation therapy sessions (7761; 7328 and 7075; −6% during containment and −3% just after) and in day-hospital cycles of IV systemic treatment (2891; 2736 and 2717; −5% during containment and −1% just after). We observed an increase in the number of patients admitted to palliative care and a dramatic reduction in clinical trial enrollment. During this 24-week period, organizational changes were mainly characterized by an increase in newly diagnosed cancer patient referral and the implementation of protective measures, such as teleconsultations. Activities in cancer surgery have decreased while radiotherapy and chemotherapy activities were stable.

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“…Hypofractionated radiation therapy was applied when possible to limit patient trips [ 8 ]. This caused a minor decrease in the number of radiotherapy sessions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Major impact of COVID-19 national containment on activities in the French northern comprehensive cancer center

et al. 2021

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“…Clinical radiotherapy practice was indirectly impacted globally with several reports 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 indicating a decline in patient volumes, although almost all departments were operational during the pandemic. The rapidly evolving situation 29 resulted in the regular release of recommendations from national and international authorities including the International Society of Radiographers and Radiological Technologists (ISRRT), National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI – UK), European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) and the American Society for Radiation Oncology for safe clinical care of cancers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 60 In line with these recommendations, radiotherapy departments underwent resource and technical re-organisation to allow the continuation of daily cancer care provision. 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 34 , 61 , 62 The recommendations included the implementation of strict hygiene protocols to guarantee the safety of cancer patients, many of whom are generally immunocompromised and at increased risk of COVID-19 complications, and of staff administering the treatments. Additionally, strict triage systems and the use of hypofractionation protocols designed for specific cancers were rapidly implemented 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 to allow cancer care continuation during the pandemic.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on clinical radiography practice: A systematic literature review and recommendations for future services planning

et al. 2021

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Introduction Worldwide, reports and experiences indicate that there has been extensive re-organisation within diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy departments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was necessary due to changes in workload and working practice guidelines that have evolved during the pandemic. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on radiography practice, service delivery and workforce wellbeing. Methods A systematic review methodology was adopted to obtain data from primary studies of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods designs from databases (PubMed, Science Direct, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature [CINAHL], and SCOPUS: all 2020 to present). The included articles were subjected to information extraction and results-based convergent synthesis. Results The electronic database search yielded 10,420 articles after removal of duplicates. Of these, 31 articles met the final inclusion criteria with some (n = 8) fully focussed on radiotherapy workforce and service delivery. The pandemic impact on radiography practice is broadly themed around: training, communication, and information dissemination; infrastructure, technology, and clinical workflow; and workforce mental health and well-being. Conclusion Globally, most radiographers received inadequate training for managing COVID-19 patients during the initial acute phase of the pandemic. Additionally, there were significant changes to clinical practice, working patterns and perceived increase in workload due to surges in COVID-19 patients and the consequent strict adherence to new infection protocols. These changes, coupled with fear emanating from the increased risk of the workforce to contracting the infection, contributed to anxiety and workplace-related stress during the pandemic. Implications for practice Local pandemic response strategies must be appropriately developed from standard protocols in readiness for safe clinical practice and well-being management training of practitioners.

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“…It is important to note that in response to the pandemic, this service instituted changes to work practices, including the introduction of telehealth services in March 2020, details of which are available elsewhere. 8 Appointments in 2019 were classified as Pre‐COVID‐19, and in 2020 as During COVID‐19.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Failure to attend radiation oncology appointments during COVID‐19: Analysis of data from an Australian public hospital

et al. 2022

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Introduction COVID‐19 has impacted lives worldwide. Public health guidance has advocated for minimisation of infection risk by encouraging social isolation and physical distancing. In response, many health services have changed delivery practices to increased use of telehealth. We undertook an audit of hospital attendance data collected from a radiation oncology service in a large public hospital in Victoria, Australia between January and September in 2019, and the same period in 2020. The aim was to discern the impact of COVID‐19 on attendance at appointments and whether attendance rates differed by appointment type. Methods Attendance data and appointment type for the two targeted periods (a total of 62,528 appointments for 3383 patients) were extracted from the database maintained by the radiation oncology service. Logistic generalised estimating equation (GEE) models were run with the final model including the COVID‐19 period (pre, during) and all patient and appointment characteristics. Results Results indicated a small decrease in attendance in 2020 (OR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.01–1.25, P = 0.026) with this predominantly reported for the non‐treatment appointments, which consisted of follow‐up appointments, nurse appointments, and treatment review appointments. Conclusion Attendance for radiation oncology treatment was largely unaffected by COVID‐19 although other services experienced slight reductions. Changes to work practices, specifically the increased use of telehealth, may have moderated the impact. Given the focus on one service in one location, it is not possible to generalise these results and future research should closely monitor both patient and staff satisfaction with services delivered via modified processes.

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COVID-19 and radiation oncology: the experience of a two-phase plan within a single institution in central Italy

Cited by 12 publications

References 13 publications

Major impact of COVID-19 national containment on activities in the French northern comprehensive cancer center

Major impact of COVID-19 national containment on activities in the French northern comprehensive cancer center

The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on clinical radiography practice: A systematic literature review and recommendations for future services planning

Failure to attend radiation oncology appointments during COVID‐19: Analysis of data from an Australian public hospital

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