Alternative Multidisciplinary Management Options for Locally Advanced NSCLC During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Global Pandemic

Sameera Kumar, Steven Chmura, Clifford Robinson, Steven H. Lin, Shirish M. Gadgeel, Jessica Donington, Josephine Feliciano, Thomas E. Stinchcombe, Maria Werner-Wasik, Martin J. Edelman, Drew Moghanaki

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is currently accelerating. Patients with locally advanced NSCLC (LA-NSCLC) may require treatment in locations where resources are limited, and the prevalence of infection is high. Patients with LA-NSCLC frequently present with comorbidities that increase the risk of severe morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. These risks may be further increased by treatments for LA-NSCLC. Although guiding data is scarce, we present an expert thoracic oncology multidisciplinary (radiation oncology, medical oncology, surgical oncology) consensus of alternative strategies for the treatment of LA-NSCLC during a pandemic. The overarching goals of these approaches are the following: (1) reduce the number of visits to a health care facility, (2) reduce the risk of exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome–coronavirus-2, (3) attenuate the immunocompromising effects of lung cancer therapies, and (4) provide effective oncologic therapy. Patients with resectable disease can be treated with definitive nonoperative management if surgical resources are limited or the risks of perioperative care are high. Nonoperative options include chemotherapy, chemoimmunotherapy, and radiation therapy with sequential schedules that may or may not affect long-term outcomes in an era in which immunotherapy is available. The order of treatments may be on the basis of patient factors and clinical resources. Whenever radiation therapy is delivered without concurrent chemotherapy, hypofractionated schedules are appropriate. For patients who are confirmed to have COVID-19, usually, cancer therapies may be withheld until symptoms have resolved with negative viral test results. The risk of severe treatment-related morbidity and mortality is increased for patients undergoing treatment for LA-NSCLC during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adapting alternative treatment strategies as quickly as possible may save lives and should be implemented through communication with the multidisciplinary cancer team.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1137-1146
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Thoracic Oncology
Volume15
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2020

Keywords

  • COVID
  • Locally advanced
  • Non–small cell lung cancer
  • SARS–CoV-2

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology
  • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

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