Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic following the outbreak in China and Western Europe, where it finally lost the momentum, is now devastating North and South America. It has not been identified the reason and the molecular mechanisms of the two different patterns of the pulmonary host responses to the virus from a minimal disease in young subjects to a severe distress syndrome (ARDS) in older subjects, particularly those with previous chronic diseases (including diabetes) and cancer. The Management of the Istituto Nazionale Tumori - IRCCS “Fondazione Pascale” in Naples (INT-Pascale), along with all Health professionals decided not to interrupt the treatment of those hospitalized and to continue, even if after a careful triage in order not to allow SARS-CoV-2 positive subjects to access, to take care of cancer patients with serious conditions. Although very few (n = 3) patients developed a symptomatic COVID-19 and required the transfer to a COVID-19 area of the Institute, no patients died during the hospitalization and completed their oncology treatment. Besides monitoring of the patients, all employees of the Institute (physicians, nurses, researchers, lawyers, accountants, gatekeepers, guardians, janitors) have been tested for a possible exposure. Personnel identified as positive, has been promptly subjected to home quarantine and subdued to health surveillance. One severe case of respiratory distress has been reported in a positive employees and one death of a family member. Further steps to home monitoring of COVID-19 clinical course have been taken with the development of remote Wi-Fi connected digital devices for the detection of early signs of respiratory distress, including heart rate and oxygen saturation.In conclusion cancer care has been performed and continued safely also during COVID-19 pandemic and further remote home strategies are in progress to ensure the appropriate monitoring of cancer patients.
Highlights
As of June 1, 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been confirmed in ~ 6,000,000 people worldwide, carrying a mortality of approximately 6.8% [1], compared with a mortality rate of less than 1% from influenza
58 clinical nurses in addition to several nursing supervisors/managers guaranteed the activities of the two triage points at the medical ward building, which includes the DH Chemio for over 1300 h. 5976 triage cards were compiled in the 21 days of March (Fig. 7) The total number of nurses involved in the triage raised to 90 for a total number of 2427 h of activity in April
This article represents an Institutional report of the internal reorganization implemented in order to continue the Cancer treatment activity, at the Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) Istituto Nazionale Tumori – IRCCS “Fondazione Pascale” (INT)-IRCCS “Fondazione Pascale” Cancer Center in Naples, and to protect from COVID-19 infection the hospitalized cancer patients and those attending the outpatient clinics, their caregivers and the Institute health workers
Summary
The clinical and translational research activities at the INT – IRCCS “Fondazione Pascale” cancer center (Naples, Italy) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Buonaguro*† , Gerardo Botti†, Paolo Antonio Ascierto, Sandro Pignata, Franco Ionna, Paolo Delrio, Antonella Petrillo, Ernesta Cavalcanti, Maurizio Di Bonito, Sisto Perdonà, Michelino De Laurentiis, Francesco Fiore, Raffaele Palaia, Francesco Izzo, Stefania D’Auria, Virginia Rossi, Simona Menegozzo, Mauro Piccirillo, Egidio Celentano, Arturo Cuomo, Nicola Normanno, Maria Lina Tornesello, Rocco Saviano, Daniela Barberio, Luigi Buonaguro, Giovanni Giannoni, Paolo Muto, Leonardo Miscio, Attilio A. M. Bianchi*, and the INT-Pascale COVID-19 Crisis Unit
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