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Original research
Medical treatment of patients with gynecologic cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic
  1. Eleonora Palluzzi1,
  2. Giacomo Corrado1,
  3. Claudia Marchetti1,
  4. Giulia Bolomini1,
  5. Laura Vertechy1,
  6. Carolina Bottoni1,
  7. Mariagrazia Distefano1,
  8. Giovanni Scambia1,2 and
  9. Gabriella Ferrandina1,2
  1. 1 Department of Woman, Child and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
  2. 2 Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
  1. Correspondence to Dr Eleonora Palluzzi, Department of Woman, Child, and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A Gemelli IRCCS, Rome 00168, Italy; eleonorapalluzzi{at}gmail.com

Abstract

Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, cancer care had to be reorganized; national and international recommendations were published to manage anticancer treatments safely and to reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection for patients and health workers.

Objective To evaluate whether the adoption of recommendations for the management of patients with gynaecologic cancer receiving treatment during the pandemic resulted in containment of infections and continuing oncologic care.

Methods Based on the published recommendations, and according to the local Health Direction guidelines, we developed and drafted a security protocol to modify access of patients with gynaecologic cancer to the “Fondazione Policlinico Agostino Gemelli-IRCCS, Rome” between February 1 and April 30, 2020 and compared results with the corresponding 3 months of 2019.

Results Between February and April 2019, we registered 3254 admissions, including 2253 patients receiving intravenous chemotherapies, 298 receiving oral therapies, and 703 having hospital visits. Between February and April 2020, we registered 3213 admissions, including 2221 patients receiving intravenous chemotherapies, 401 receiving oral therapies, and 591 having hospital visits. Oral treatments and general visits were different in the two time periods (p<0.001). Despite the elevated patient flow, only one patient (0.1%) tested positive for COVID-19 and there were no cases among healthcare staff.

Conclusions Based on the adopted security protocol we provided continuity of care for all patients and limited the spread of the COVID-19 infection.

  • genital neoplasms
  • female
  • gynecology

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

This article is made freely available for use in accordance with BMJ’s website terms and conditions for the duration of the covid-19 pandemic or until otherwise determined by BMJ. You may use, download and print the article for any lawful, non-commercial purpose (including text and data mining) provided that all copyright notices and trade marks are retained.

https://bmj.com/coronavirus/usage

https://doi.org/10.1136/ijgc-2020-002288

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    Data availability statement

    The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors All authors contributed to writing and approving the final manuscript.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.