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. 2021 Aug 27;28(5):3323-3330.
doi: 10.3390/curroncol28050288.

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

Elena Galofaro  1   2 , Claudio Malizia  3 , Ilario Ammendolia  1 , Andrea Galuppi  1 , Alessandra Guido  1 , Maria Ntreta  1 , Giambattista Siepe  1 , Giorgio Tolento  1 , Antonio Veraldi  1 , Erica Scirocco  1   2 , Alessandra Arcelli  1   2 , Milly Buwenge  1   2 , Martina Ferioli  1   2 , Alice Zamagni  1   2 , Lidia Strigari  4 , Silvia Cammelli  1   2 , Alessio Giuseppe Morganti  1   2
Affiliations

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

Elena Galofaro et al. Curr Oncol. .

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.

Keywords: COVID-19; compliance; guidelines; radiotherapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of treatment changes based on guidelines.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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