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COVID-19 Pandemic-Adapted Radiotherapy Guidelines: Are They Really Followed?

Authors :
Elena Galofaro
Alessio G. Morganti
Lidia Strigari
Giambattista Siepe
M. Ntreta
Alessandra Arcelli
Antonio Veraldi
Alice Zamagni
I. Ammendolia
Andrea Galuppi
Milly Buwenge
Alessandra Guido
Claudio Malizia
G. Tolento
Erica Scirocco
Silvia Cammelli
Martina Ferioli
Galofaro E.
Malizia C.
Ammendolia I.
Galuppi A.
Guido A.
Ntreta M.
Siepe G.
Tolento G.
Veraldi A.
Scirocco E.
Arcelli A.
Buwenge M.
Ferioli M.
Zamagni A.
Strigari L.
Cammelli S.
Morganti A.G.
Source :
Current Oncology, Volume 28, Issue 5, Pages 288-3330, Current Oncology, Vol 28, Iss 288, Pp 3323-3330 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2021.

Abstract

Background: In our department, we provided guidelines to the radiation oncologists (ROs) regarding the omission, delay, or shortening of radiotherapy (RT). The purpose was to reduce the patients’ exposure to the hospital environment and to minimize the departmental overcrowding. The aim was to evaluate the ROs’ compliance to these guidelines. Methods: ROs were asked to fill out a data collection form during patients’ first visits in May and June 2020. The collected data included the ROs’ age and gender, patient age and residence, RT purpose, treated tumor, the dose and fractionation that would have been prescribed, and RT changes. The chi-square test and binomial logistic regression were used to analyze the correlation between the treatment prescription and the collected parameters. Results: One hundred and twenty-six out of 205 prescribed treatments were included in this analysis. Treatment was modified in 61.1% of cases. More specifically, the treatment was omitted, delayed, or shortened in 7.9, 15.9, and 37.3% of patients, respectively. The number of delivered fractions was reduced by 27.9%. A statistically significant correlation (p = 0.028) between younger patients’ age and lower treatment modifications rate was recorded. Conclusion: Our analysis showed a reasonably high compliance of ROs to the pandemic-adapted guidelines. The adopted strategy was effective in reducing the number of admissions to our department.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
17187729
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Current Oncology
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....75e5574e0a91488df84c4730e1f80829
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol28050288