1712P - Risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and outcome after infection: Experience from the day-care unit at CHU Liège in Belgium

Background

No specific safety data concerning systemic oncological treatments were available at time of COVID-19 outbreak in Belgium. In our hospital we decided to maintain adjuvant and early line treatments for metastatic disease in patients under 65 and without specific comorbidities and to apply a shared decision approach in other patients while following closely the safety of these treatments.

Methods

Real time safety monitoring was proposed to all patients treated for solid tumours in our day-care unit starting March 1^st, 2020. After signing informed consent patients were asked questions concerning protective measures at home, signs of SARS-CoV-2 infection and hospitalisation. Patients' charts were reviewed for outcome, including death, after suspected or proven SARS-CoV-2 infection. Minimum follow-up was 5 weeks after day care unit attendance.

Results

387 patients were included in our registry between March 1^st and March 31^st, 2020. Median age was 64 years-old (range 27-90). Most patients suffered from lung (n=96), breast (n=93), gastrointestinal (n=87), gynaecological (n=38) or urological (n=33) cancers. 131 patients received (neo)adjuvant treatments, 256 patients were treated for metastatic disease. Patients received chemotherapy (n=170), immunotherapy (n=103), targeted therapy (n=68) or other combinations (n=46). Although Belgium had one of the highest infection rates in the world, safety data concerning risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and outcomes were rather reassuring. A total of 11 patients had either suspected (n=5, 1.3%) or proven (n=6, 1.6%) SARS-CoV-2 infection. Only one 74 years old patient died of COVID-19, another 51 years old patient died of progressive disease but presented also suspicion of SARS-CoV-2 infection at the time of death.

Conclusions

Analysis of our data for patients treated in March 2020 in the day-care unit are reassuring and suggest higher risk related to under-treatment compared to risk related to continuation of systemic therapy at time of COVID-19 outbreak. Patients' follow-up will be updated and additional analyses and data in particular for April 2020, when the infection rate was still extremely high in Belgium, will be presented.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

The authors.

Funding

Fondation Léon Fredericq.

Disclosure

A. Rorive: Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: BMS; MSD. B. Sautois: Advisory/Consultancy, Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Janssen; Advisory/Consultancy: Clovis; Sanofi; Astellas. J. Collignon: Advisory/Consultancy, Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Roche; Amgen; Pfizer; Advisory/Consultancy: Servier; Bayer; Merck; Lilly; Sanofi; Sirtex; Celgene; Ipsen; Novartis. P. Freres: Advisory/Consultancy: Ipsen; Merck; BMS. C. Gennigens: Advisory/Consultancy, Research grant/Funding (institution): Astra-Zeneca; Advisory/Consultancy: BMS; GSK; Lilly; MSD; Advisory/Consultancy, Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Ipsen; Pfizer; Pharmamar; Roche. G. Jerusalem: Advisory/Consultancy, Research grant/Funding (institution), Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Novartis; Roche; Pfizer; Speaker Bureau/Expert testimony, Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Lilly; Advisory/Consultancy, Research grant/Funding (institution): Amgen; Advisory/Consultancy, Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: BMS; AstraZeneca; Daiichi Sankyo; Advisory/Consultancy: Abbvie; Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Medimmune; MerckKGaA. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.