Elsevier

ESMO Open

Volume 6, Issue 3, June 2021, 100165
ESMO Open

Original Research
COVID-19 epidemic strongly affected cancer research in Italy: a survey of the Italian Cancer Society (SIC)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esmoop.2021.100165Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • The SIC conducted a survey on the effect of COVID-19 lockdown on cancer research laboratories in Italy.

  • The impact of the lockdown on research activities was high, with complete or partial shutdown of >80% of the laboratories.

  • Response to the pandemic was fragmented with different strategies adopted without a clearly defined contingency plan.

  • An adequate organization of research centers is urgently needed to ensure laboratory activities in a safe environment.

Background

Italy was among the first countries hit by the pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The application of strict lockdown measures disproportionately affected both cancer patient care as well as basic and translational cancer research.

Materials and methods

The Italian Cancer Society (SIC) conducted a survey on the effect of lockdown on laboratories involved in cancer research in Italy. The survey was completed by 570 researchers at different stages of their career, working in cancer centers, research institutes and universities from 19 Italian regions.

Results

During the lockdown period, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic emergency on face-to-face research activities was high, with a complete (47.7%) or partial (36.1%) shutdown of the laboratories. In the post-lockdown period, research activities were resumed in most of the respondents’ institutions (80.4%), though with some restrictions (77.2%). COVID-19 testing was offered to research personnel only in ~50% of research institutions. Overall, the response to the pandemic was fragmented as in many cases institutions adopted different strategies often aimed at limiting possible infections without a clearly defined contingency plan. Nevertheless, research was able to provide the first answers and possible ways out of the pandemic, also with the contribution of many cancer researchers that sacrificed their research programs to help overcome the pandemic by offering their knowledge and technologies.

Conclusions

Given the current persistence of an emergency situation in many European countries, a more adequate organization of research centers will be urgent and necessary to ensure the continuity of laboratory activities in a safe environment.

Key words

SARS-CoV-2
COVID-19
cancer research

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