COVID-19 | Specialty

The OncLive COVID-19 condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and expert insights on how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted multiple areas of oncology care and practice. This page features news articles, interviews in written and video format, and podcasts encompassing data of patients with COVID-19 and cancer, oncology drugs being tested against the virus, vaccine information for patients with cancer, and more.

Decentralization Efforts Could Engage Community Oncologists

May 9th 2023

As more treatment options enter the oncology landscape, access to these life-changing medicines has become a paramount concern.

Delays in Cancer Screenings Due to COVID-19 May Result in Trend Toward Excess Deaths

March 24th 2023

Cancer screenings rapidly decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic as health care practices considered not urgent came to a halt.

COVID-19 Vaccine Efficacy Decreases With Ruxolitinib Use in MPNs

March 9th 2023

Treatment with ruxolitinib impaired antibody responses to complete vaccination with the BNT162b2 SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in patients with myelofibrosis or polycythemia vera.

Time Required to Address Scientific Questions Generates an Information Dilemma

October 26th 2022

One of the more perplexing issues surrounding scientific questions is the extended time required to provide an answer. Even once a well-considered and vetted conclusion is obtained, an additional interval of time may be required to modify or reverse the answer because of new, relevant data.

In the Trenches With the Fellows

July 8th 2022

Mili Arora, MD, talks about changing the fellowship program at UC Davis, the effect the COVID-19 pandemic has had on her trainees, and the importance of working late nights with her fellows.

Jefferson Faculty Highlight COVID-19-Induced Disparities in Older Patients With Cancer

June 6th 2022

Chapman, Swartz, Rhodes, Nightingale, and Denton highlight the evolution of Jefferson Health’s Senior Adult Oncology Center, the unique needs of older adults who develop cancer, and challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic that have affected the care of geriatric patients with cancer, such as the strain put on caregivers and the shift to telemedicine.

Abid Accounts for the Efficacy of a Third SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Among Transplant, CAR T-Cell, and BiTE Recipients

June 2nd 2022

Dr Abid discusses a review paper, published in Cancer Cell, that evaluated determinants of response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in patients who underwent allogeneic or autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation or who had received CAR T-cell therapy or bispecific T-cell engagers.

Close Monitoring Recommended Despite Reduced Risk of COVID-19 Mortality in CLL

May 29th 2022

Although lower fatality rates were reported during the omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, close monitoring and preemptive antiviral therapy is still recommended following a positive SARS-CoV-2 test, particularly in patients with close hospital contacts and those older than 70 years of age with at least one comorbidity.

Disparities Remain Regarding Access to Telehealth

May 26th 2022

Disparities in access to telehealth for cancer care were seen across more than 20 tumor types, according to study findings that were presented during a press briefing ahead of the 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting.

COVID-19 Mortality Rates Rise With Hospitalization and Rituximab Treatment in MCL

May 6th 2022

The overall mortality rate for patients with mantle cell lymphoma who contract COVID-19 is high, and mortality rates rise significantly in patients who are hospitalized or enter intensive care units, according to findings from a retrospective study that were published in Hemasphere.

Borgen Recommends Revamping Peer Review for a Post-COVID-19 World

May 5th 2022

Dr Borgen recaps a presentation he made at the 2022 Miami Breast Cancer Conference highlighting the flaws with preprints, outlining his recommendations for fixing peer review, and explaining how this affects cancer research.

NCCN Recommends Fifth COVID-19 Shot for Patients with Cancer

April 29th 2022

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network is advising individuals who are immunocompromised, including those with cancer, to receive a fifth COVID-19 vaccination.

COVID-19 Booster Yields Responses After Failure of Initial Vaccine Doses in Prior HCT or CAR T-Cell Therapy Recipients

April 29th 2022

The administration of a third dose of a SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine yielded seroconversion responses in patients treated with hematopoietic cell transplantation or cellular therapy following initial failure of seroconversion after the first 2 vaccine doses.

COVID-19 Vaccine Elicits Varied Immune Responses in cGVHD

April 27th 2022

Administration of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine resulted in heterogeneous immune response in patients with chronic graft-vs-host disease (cGVHD), further highlighting concerns about protection against infection or severe COVID-19 disease in this population

CoVac-1 Vaccination Could Prevent Severe COVID-19 in Patients with Cancer and Immunoglobulin Deficiency

April 12th 2022

CoVac-1, a multi-peptide COVID-19 vaccine, elicited promising T-cell activity and safety in patients with cancer who have disease- or treatment-related immunoglobulin deficiency.

Study Reveals Increased Disparities in Cervical Cancer Screening Linked With COVID-19 Pandemic

April 7th 2022

Women of all races and ethnicities who were referred to a colposcopy clinic for cervical cancer screening following an abnormal Pap smear during the COVID-19 pandemic had a higher likelihood of not adhering to their appointment compared with appointment data collected prior to the pandemic.

Analysis Reveals Racial Disparities in Telemedicine Use During COVID-19 Pandemic Among Patients With Hematologic Malignancies

March 27th 2022

Data from a retrospective observational study revealed that White patients with hematologic malignancies in the United States had significantly higher uptake of telemedicine vs Black patients, reflecting disparities that require further exploration.

Third Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine Improves Response in Patients Treated with HCT and Cellular Therapies

March 22nd 2022

Muhammad Bilal Abid, MD, MRCP, discusses clinical takeaways regarding the standard use of a third SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine dose among patients treated with hematopoietic cell transplantation, CAR T-cell therapy, and bispecific T-cell engagers.

Oncology Care Evolves as Lasting COVID-19 Effects Come Into Focus

March 9th 2022

The pandemic appears to have caused or contributed to a number of lasting changes in the way oncologists provide clinical care to their patients.

Senate Confirms Robert M. Califf as FDA Commissioner

February 17th 2022

The US Senate has confirmed Robert M. Califf, MD, a prominent cardiologist and expert in clinical trials, as the latest FDA commissioner today in a 50-46 vote.