In Italy, the number of people dying from COVID-19 has dropped to about 500 per day—a decrease from the 900 to 1,000 patients who had been dying daily when the disease spread was at its peak.
NCI is finalizing plans to use its clinical trials networks to administer a compassionate use protocol for distribution of tocilizumab, a drug that blocks the inflammatory protein IL-6.
Governments respond differently to crises which threaten the health of their citizens. For example, during the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, some countries instituted an immediate lockdown whilst others have not restricted social activities, or have done so too late to be maximally effective.
While the National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) groups remain open for business during the pandemic, it’s not business as usual. For good reason, clinical trials are taking a backseat to clinical care. Leadership and members themselves face significant challenges treating oncology patients, as attention and resources are diverted to minister to those with COVID-19.
While the world watched the pandemic unfold in China and Italy, SARS-Cov-2 spread exponentially in Spain, killing more people faster and earlier within a month, relative to many outbreaks in other Western countries.
As he manages the logistics of running Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and cancer services throughout RWJBarnabas Health, Steven K. Libutti has to worry about providing cancer care in a massive health system in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As oncologists, we are all too familiar with making treatment recommendations and advising on end-of-life care in the absence of robust data. In ethical conundrums, we rely on guidance from our colleagues in the field, institutions, and national/international leadership bodies.
Social isolation and containment have begun to flatten the curve of COVID-19 cases in Italy, Giuseppe Curigliano said to The Cancer Letter.
This story is part of The Cancer Letter's ongoing coverage of COVID-19's impact on oncology. A full list of our coverage, as well as the latest meeting cancellations, is available here.
This story is part of The Cancer Letter's ongoing coverage of COVID-19's impact on oncology. A full list of our coverage, as well as the latest meeting cancellations, is available here.
