Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Cancer care during the pandemic

Uzzo, R. G., Kutikov, A., & Geynisman, D.M. (2020). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Cancer care during the pandemic. UpToDate. Retrieved from: https://www.uptodate.com/contents/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-cancer-care-during-the-pandemic

UpToDate has made their information available during COVID-19, this topic looks at cancer care during the pandemic, to discuss issues related to balancing the risk from treatment delay versus harm from COVID-19, ways to minimize the compromise of social distancing during care delivery, how limited healthcare resources can be appropriately and fairly allocated, and reviews the recommendations for cancer care during the COVID-19 epidemic from expert groups.

UpToDate Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Cancer care during the pandemic

NHS strikes deal on first in a new generation of cancer busting drugs

NHS England | April 2020 | NHS strikes deal on first in a new generation of cancer busting drugs

The NHS has struck a deal which will see hundreds of people a year benefit from a ‘game-changing’ new cancer treatment.

Larotrectinib, will initially be used for children, young people and some adults, and targets tumours according to their genetic make-up, rather than where they originated from in the body.

The revolutionary treatment is the first in a new generation of ‘tumour agnostic’ drugs to be made available on the NHS following the deal endorsed by NICE, the organisation that ensures clinical and cost effectiveness.

Larotrectinib, also known as Vitrakvi, can be used against a wide range of cancers and could offer hope to patients with rare forms of the disease that may previously have been untreatable.

Further details available from NHS England

[NICE Technology Appraisal Guidance] Lenalidomide with rituximab for previously treated follicular lymphoma

NICE | April 2020 | Lenalidomide with rituximab for previously treated follicular lymphoma |Technology appraisal guidance [TA627]

NICE has produced evidence-based recommendations on lenalidomide (Revlimid) with rituximab for previously treated follicular lymphoma (grade 1 to 3A) in adults.

Full details form NICE 

Lenalidomide with rituximab for previously treated follicular lymphoma

Unpicking the COVID-19 extremely vulnerable category for people affected by cancer

In conjunction with NHS England and the One Voice Cancer charities, Gateway C the online cancer education platform has produced the resource: Unpicking the COVID-19 extremely vulnerable category for people affected by cancer

People with certain cancers and those who have received or are receiving certain treatments are at risk of severe illness if they catch coronavirus (COVID-19). One Cancer Voice charities (in partnership with NHS England) have confirmed the extremely vulnerable people category includes:

• Every patient undergoing active chemotherapy
• Patients with blood disorders who are immunocompromised but not receiving chemotherapy
• Patients having radiotherapy for metastatic lung tumours
• Patients having any targeted treatments (more than just antibody treatments) and anti-angiogenesis targeted drugs
• Transplant patients (if they have had a transplant within the last 6 months, and if they are taking any immunosuppression)
• Patients with a rare disease and that disease significantly increases their risk of infection

Full details fromGatewayC

NICE Guideline: COVID-19 rapid guideline: delivery of systemic anticancer treatments

NICE | March  2020 |COVID-19 rapid guideline: delivery of systemic anticancer treatments

NICE guideline [NG161]

The purpose of this guideline is to maximise the safety of patients with cancer and make the best use of NHS resources, while protecting staff from infection. It will also enable services to match the capacity for cancer treatment to patient needs if services become limited because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On 3 April 2020, NICE added 2 recommendations on when to offer and continue systemic anticancer treatment for patients with COVID-19. NICE also amended the table on prioritising treatments in line with new advice from NHS England.

 

This guideline is for:

• health and care practitioners
• health and care staff involved in planning and delivering services
• commissioners

Further information availlable from NICE 

NICE has also produced a COVID-19 rapid guideline on delivery of radiotherapy.

COVID-19 rapid guideline: delivery of radiotherapy

NICE | March 2020| COVID-19 rapid guideline: delivery of radiotherapy

The purpose of this guideline is to maximise the safety of patients who need radiotherapy and make the best use of NHS resources, while protecting staff from infection. It will also enable services to match the capacity for radiotherapy to patient needs if services become limited because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

NICE has also produced a COVID-19 rapid guideline on delivery of systemic anticancer treatments.

This guideline is for:

• health and care practitioners
• health and care staff involved in planning and delivering services
• commissioners

Full details from NICE

Leeds jointly launches first cancer corona virus registry

University of Leeds | April 2020 | Leeds jointly launches first cancer corona virus registry

Cancer experts at three universities in the UK have launched a cancer corona virus registry; the monitoring scheme is a national project between oncologists at the universities of Birmingham, Oxford and Leeds. The project will pioneer the use of clinician-led reporting to track cancer patients and inform treatment pathways. It has been developed to ensure that high quality cancer care is being delivered across the country to safeguard patients.With the key objective being to identify and learn from every case of COVID-19 in cancer patients in the UK through comprehensive reporting.

The scheme will relay real-time daily updates back to individual cancer centres, providing valuable insights to inform key decision makers. Crucially, it will enable national monitoring of the impact of COVID-19 on cancer patients and cancer centres (Source: University of Leeds)

News release: Leeds jointly launches first cancer coronavirus registry

See also:

The UK Coronavirus cancer monitoring project A COVID-19 Live Clinical Data Dissemination System for patients with cancer

You can follow on Twitter @UKCORONACANCER

 

Coronavirus and cancer – latest updates

With the coronavirus outbreak developing daily, CAncer Research UK want to make sure everyone affected by cancer gets the information they need during this time. They will be monitoring the latest government and NHS health updates from across the UK and updating their blog post regularly as new guidance emerges.

Full detail at Cancer Research UK