Managing cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: an ESMO multidisciplinary expert consensus

• Published in: Annals of oncology Vol. 31; no. 10; pp. 1320 - 1335
• Main Authors: Curigliano, G., Banerjee, S., Cervantes, A., Garassino, M.C., Garrido, P., Girard, N., Haanen, J., Jordan, K., Lordick, F., Machiels, J.P., Michielin, O., Peters, S., Tabernero, J., Douillard, J.Y., Pentheroudakis, G., Addeo, A., Albiges, L., Ascierto, P.A., Barlesi, F., Caldas, C., Cardoso, F., Chaberny, I.F., Cherny, N.I., Choueiri, T.K., Chua, M.L.K., Criscitiello, C., de Azambuja, E., De Ruysscher, D., de Vries, E., Dent, R., D’Ugo, D., Dziadziuszko, R., Faivre-Finn, C., Felip, E., Garassino, M., Glynne-Jones, R., Golfinopoulos, V., Hamilton, E., Jänne, P.A., Kanesvaran, R., Kim, S.B., Liebert, U.G., Mok, T.S.K., Morgan, G., Obermannova, R., Park, K., Passaro, A., Reck, M., Salazar Soler, R., Scotté, F., Senan, S., Sessa, C., Smyth, E., Soo, R., Soria, J.C., Spicer, J., Strasser, F., Tan, D.S.W., Trapani, D., Van Cutsem, E., van Halteren, H., van Schil, P.E., Veronesi, G., Yang, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2020; European Society for Medical Oncology. Published by Elsevier Ltd
• Subjects: Betacoronavirus; Consensus; Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology; Coronavirus Infections - immunology; Coronavirus Infections - therapy; COVID-19; Disease Management; Europe - epidemiology; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor - pharmacology; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor - therapeutic use; Humans; Medical Oncology - methods; Medical Oncology - standards; Neoplasms - epidemiology; Neoplasms - immunology; Neoplasms - therapy; Pandemics - prevention & control; Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology; Pneumonia, Viral - immunology; Pneumonia, Viral - therapy; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction - standards; SARS-CoV-2; Societies, Medical - standards; Special; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic - drug effects; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic - immunology; Telemedicine - methods; Telemedicine - standards; Europe
• ISSN: 0923-7534; 1569-8041; 1569-8041
• DOI: 10.1016/j.annonc.2020.07.010

We established an international consortium to review and discuss relevant clinical evidence in order to develop expert consensus statements related to cancer management during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-related disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The steering committee prepared 10 working packages addressing significant clinical questions from diagnosis to surgery. During a virtual consensus meeting of 62 global experts and one patient advocate, led by the European Society for Medical Oncology, statements were discussed, amended and voted upon. When consensus could not be reached, the panel revised statements until a consensus was reached. Overall, the expert panel agreed on 28 consensus statements that can be used to overcome many of the clinical and technical areas of uncertainty ranging from diagnosis to therapeutic planning and treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic.