Abstract 1692P
Background
Cancer patients have been reported to be at increased for SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe course of COVID-19.
Methods
Patients routinely tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA by nasal swab and Real-Time qPCR (RT-qPCR) between March 21st and May 4th 2020 were included. The results of this “cancer cohort“ were statistically compared to the SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in the Austrian population (“control cohort“) as determined by a nation-wide random sample study to define the prevalence of SARS-CoV 2 infections.
Results
1688 SARS-CoV-2 tests were performed in 1016 consecutive cancer patients. 830/1016 (81.6%) patients were undergoing active anti-cancer treatment in a neoadjuvant/adjuvant or palliative setting. 53/1016 (5·2%) patients self-reported symptoms potentially associated with COVID-19. SARS-Cov-2 was detected in 4/1016 (0·4%) patients. At the time of testing, all four SARS-CoV-2 positive patients were asymptomatic. 2/4 (50%) of the positive tested patients had recovered from symptomatic COVID-19. Viral clearance was achieved so far only in one of the four patients 14 days after testing positive. The three remaining patients have not achieved viral clearance after > 25 days of follow up. The estimated odds ratio of SARS-CoV-2 prevalence between the cancer cohort and the control cohort was 1·009 (95% CI 0·209-4·272; p=1).
Conclusions
Our data indicate that continuation of active anti-cancer treatment at a large department of Medical Oncology are feasible after implementation of strict population-wide and institutional safety measures. Routine SARS-CoV-2 testing of cancer patients seems advisable to detect asymptomatic virus carriers and avoid uncontrolled viral spread.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
The authors.
Funding
Has not received any funding.
Disclosure
A.S. Berghoff: Research grant/Funding (institution), Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Daiichi Sankyo; Research grant/Funding (institution), Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: Roche; Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: AbbVie. A. Starzer: Travel/Accommodation/Expenses: PharmaMar. M. Preusser: Advisory/Consultancy: Bayer; Novartis; Gerson Lehrman Group (GLG); CMC Contrast; Mundipharma; BMJ Journals; MedMedia; Astra Zeneca; Lilly; Medahead; Sanofi; Tocagen; Advisory/Consultancy, Research grant/Funding (institution): Bristol-Myers Squibb; GlaxoSmithKline; Roche; AbbVie; Daiichi Sankyo; Merck Sharp & Dome; Research grant/Funding (institution): Novocure; Böhringer-Ingelheim. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.