COVID-19 outbreak and cancer radiotherapy disruption in Italy: Survey endorsed by the Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology (AIRO)

Barbara Alicja Jereczek-Fossa; Matteo Pepa; Giulia Marvaso; Alessio Bruni; Michela Buglione di Monale E Bastia; Gianpiero Catalano; Andrea Riccardo Filippi; Pierfrancesco Franco; Maria Antonietta Gambacorta; Domenico Genovesi; Giuseppe Iatì; Alessandro Magli; Luigi Marafioti; Icro Meattini; Anna Merlotti; Marcello Mignogna; Daniela Musio; Roberto Pacelli; Stefano Pergolizzi; Vincenzo Tombolini; Marco Trovò; Umberto Ricardi; Stefano Maria Magrini; Renzo Corvò; Vittorio Donato; AIRO (Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology)

doi:10.1016/j.radonc.2020.04.061

COVID-19 outbreak and cancer radiotherapy disruption in Italy: Survey endorsed by the Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology (AIRO)

Radiother Oncol. 2020 Aug:149:89-93. doi: 10.1016/j.radonc.2020.04.061. Epub 2020 May 12.

Authors

Barbara Alicja Jereczek-Fossa¹, Matteo Pepa², Giulia Marvaso³, Alessio Bruni⁴, Michela Buglione di Monale E Bastia⁵, Gianpiero Catalano⁶, Andrea Riccardo Filippi⁷, Pierfrancesco Franco⁸, Maria Antonietta Gambacorta⁹, Domenico Genovesi¹⁰, Giuseppe Iatì¹¹, Alessandro Magli¹², Luigi Marafioti¹³, Icro Meattini¹⁴, Anna Merlotti¹⁵, Marcello Mignogna¹⁶, Daniela Musio¹⁷, Roberto Pacelli¹⁸, Stefano Pergolizzi¹¹, Vincenzo Tombolini¹⁷, Marco Trovò¹², Umberto Ricardi⁸, Stefano Maria Magrini⁵, Renzo Corvò¹⁹, Vittorio Donato²⁰; AIRO (Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology)

Affiliations

¹ Division of Radiation Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milano, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milano, Italy.
² Division of Radiation Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milano, Italy.
³ Division of Radiation Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milano, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milano, Italy. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Radiotherapy Unit, Department of Oncology and Haematology, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy.
⁵ Department of Radiation Oncology, University and Spedali Civili Hospital, Brescia, Italy.
⁶ Radiation Oncology Center, IRCCS Ospedale Multimedica, Sesto San Giovanni/Castellanza, Italy.
⁷ Department of Radiation Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo and University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
⁸ Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Torino, Italy.
⁹ Department of Radiation Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy.
¹⁰ Radiation Oncology Unit, "SS Annunziata" Hospital, "G. D'Annunzio" University, Chieti, Italy.
¹¹ Radiation Oncology Unit - Department of Biomedical, Dental Science and Morphological and Functional Images, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
¹² Department of Radiation Oncology, Udine General Hospital, Udine, Italy.
¹³ Division of Radiotherapy, Azienda Ospedaliera di Cosenza, Cosenza, Italy.
¹⁴ Radiation Oncology Unit, Oncology Department, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Careggi, Firenze, Italy; Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "M. Serio", University of Florence, Firenze, Italy.
¹⁵ Department of Radiation Oncology, S. Croce and Carle Teaching Hospital, Cuneo, Italy.
¹⁶ Radiation Oncology Unit, S. Luca Hospital, Healthcare Company Tuscany Nord Ovest, Lucca, Italy.
¹⁷ Department of Radiotherapy, Policlinico Umberto I "Sapienza" University of Rome, Roma, Italy.
¹⁸ Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Federico II University, Napoli, Italy.
¹⁹ Department of Radiation Oncology, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy; Health Science Department (DISSAL), University of Genoa, Genova, Italy.
²⁰ Radiation Oncology Division, Oncology and Speciality Medicine Department, San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, Roma, Italy; President of AIRO (Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology), Italy.

Abstract

Italy experienced one of the world's deadliest COVID-19 outbreaks and healthcare systems had to instantly reorganise activity. The Italian Radiation Oncology Departments adapted numerous solutions to minimize the disruptions. Information technologies, treatment prioritization and implementation of hypofractionation and protection procedures allowed balancing between cancer patient care and patient/healthcare workers safety.

Keywords: AIRO (Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology); COVID-19; Italy; Radiation oncology; Survey.

MeSH terms

Betacoronavirus*
COVID-19
Coronavirus Infections* / epidemiology
Disease Outbreaks
Humans
Italy / epidemiology
Medical Oncology* / legislation & jurisprudence
Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
Pandemics*
Pneumonia, Viral* / epidemiology
SARS-CoV-2
Surveys and Questionnaires