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. 2020;98(10):743-747.
doi: 10.1159/000509434. Epub 2020 Jun 22.

Clinical Characteristics of Metastatic Prostate Cancer Patients Infected with COVID-19 in South Italy

Giuseppe Di Lorenzo  1   2 , Luciana Buonerba  3 , Concetta Ingenito  3 , Felice Crocetto  4 , Carlo Buonerba  5 , Annamaria Libroia  3 , Antonella Sciarra  3 , Gianluca Ragone  3 , Roberto Sanseverino  6 , Simona Iaccarino  3 , Giorgio Napodano  6 , Ciro Imbimbo  4 , Emilio Leo  3 , Zisis Kozlakidis  7 , Sabino De Placido  5
Affiliations

Clinical Characteristics of Metastatic Prostate Cancer Patients Infected with COVID-19 in South Italy

Giuseppe Di Lorenzo et al. Oncology. 2020.

Abstract

Background: To date, the clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19)-infected urologic cancer patients are unknown.

Methods: We have analyzed all patients with prostate cancer undergoing hormonal or chemotherapy treatment and receiving telephone and in person pre-triage between March 1 and 27, 2020, at the Tortora Hospital, Pagani, Italy.

Results: Among 72 patients, 48 and 24 were hormone-sensitive (HS) and castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), respectively; 0 HS and 2 (8.3%) CRPC (p < 0.05) were positive for COVID-19. Both patients were receiving LHRH agonist therapy, and 1 patient was receiving enzalutamide. Urgent intensive care unit admission was required due to clinical worsening. Blood tests showed severe lymphopenia, anemia, and an increase in platelets. Retroviral therapy, antibiotics, heparin, and chloroquine were prescribed at the beginning. One patient also received tocilizumab as a salvage treatment. After 3 weeks of hospitalization, the patients were discharged from the hospital. Both patients suffered from an aggressive COVID-19 course due to concomitant comorbidities.

Conclusions: Investigating whether hormonal therapy, especially in advanced disease, acts as a protective factor or a risk factor during COVID-19 could be useful.

Keywords: Comorbidities; Coronavirus disease SARS-CoV-2; Drug interaction; Hormonal therapy; Prostate cancer.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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