2022 World Conference on Lung Cancer (ePosters)-EP06.01-008. COVID-Protected Pathways for Image Guided Lunc Cancer Intervention During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cohort Study

EP06.01-008. COVID-Protected Pathways for Image Guided Lunc Cancer Intervention During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cohort Study

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This study aimed to compare the incidence of COVID-19 transmission and associated morbidity and mortality between COVID-protected and mixed cohort pathways for elective CT-guided lung biopsy and ablation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study included patients with suspected or confirmed primary lung cancer or lung metastatic disease referred to a single tertiary cardiothoracic hospital. Two sites were compared: Site 1, a tertiary referral center that also served as a national referral center for ECMO for COVID-19 pneumonia, and Site 2, a community hospital reserved for patients without COVID-19 infection.<br /><br />At Site 1, where a mixed-pathway approach was implemented, 85 patients underwent procedures from September 2020 to August 2021. At Site 2, where a COVID-protected cohort approach was implemented, 38 patients underwent procedures from April 2020 to August 2020. The results showed that the mixed-pathway approach had a maximum infection rate of 2.4%, with two cases of COVID-19 infection identified in the Site 1 cohort. Both cases were confirmed with PCR, but neither patient required hospital admission. In contrast, there were no cases of COVID-19 infection in the Site 2 cohort.<br /><br />The authors concluded that a mixed-site method of infection control represents a pragmatic approach to managing elective procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing for continuity of cancer care while reasonably minimizing the risk of nosocomial infection. It is worth noting that the study had limitations, such as its retrospective design and the potential overestimation of the infection rate at the mixed-pathway site due to a patient attending a public gathering before developing symptoms.<br /><br />Overall, this study contributes to the ongoing efforts to develop and assess patient flow pathways to separate COVID-19 and elective cohorts, particularly in high-risk patient populations. The findings suggest that a mixed-pathway approach can be effective in minimizing the risk of COVID-19 transmission during image-guided lung cancer interventions.

Asset Subtitle

Alexander Sheeka

Meta Tag

Speaker Alexander Sheeka

Topic Management of Lung Cancer in the Era of COVID-27

Keywords

COVID-19 transmission

morbidity

mortality

elective CT-guided lung biopsy

ablation

COVID-protected cohort

mixed cohort

COVID-19 pandemic

primary lung cancer

lung metastatic disease