Y.I. ISHKININ ¹, R.B. RAIMBEKOV ¹, K.D. DATBAYEV ^1,2, A.A. GONCHAROVA ², R.U. AKHUNOVA ¹, A.K. OMAROVA ¹, S.O. OSSIKBAYEVA ², F.A. KHOZHAMKUL ², M.S. OMIRZAQ ², O.K. SEITOV ^1,2, Zh.T. KHUDAIBERGENOV ^1,2, N.A. OMARBAYEVA ²

1. «Almaty Cancer Center» RSE on REM, Almaty, the Republic of Kazakhstan;
2. «Kazakh Institute of Oncology and Radiology» JSC, Almaty, the Republic of Kazakhstan

DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.52532/2663-4864-2023-1-67-10-13

UDC: 616-006.04:036.21+578.834.1+615.371

Year: 2023 issure: 67 number: 1 pages: 10-13

Download PDF:

ABSTRACT

Relevance: COVID-19 impacts the course of cancer depending on the status and volume of cancer patient vaccination against COVID-19.

The study aimed to assess the impact of accelerated high-tech radiation therapy on the course of the oncological process, depending on the status and volume of COVID-19 vaccinations.
Methods: This quantitative and qualitative prospective randomized controlled scientific study was conducted as part of the implementation of the scientific project, “Innovative approach to managing patients with cancer in the context of the COVID pandemic-19,” Reg. No. AP13068657. The study involved 221 cancer patients.
Results: COVID-19 was diagnosed in 54/221 (24.4%) of the study participants, 24 (22.4%) in the standard radiotherapy group, and 30 (26.3%) in the experimental radiotherapy group. 49/221 (22.2%) of the participants were vaccinated. COVID-19 was detected in one breast cancer patient in the experimental group (1.5%) two months after vaccination and two patients with prostate cancer (2.4%) four months after vaccination. Relapse-free survival was registered in 59 (85.5%) breast cancer patients in the standard group and 58 (85.3%) in the experimental group. The overall survival of breast cancer patients was 69 (100.0%) in the standard group and 68 (97.0%) in the experimental group. Relapse-free survival was registered in 32 (84.2%) prostate cancer patients in the standard group and 41 (89.1%) patients in the experimental group. The overall survival among prostate cancer patients was 34 (89.5%) in the standard group and 45 (97.8%) in the experimental group. The deaths were not related to COVID-19. The average treatment duration for breast cancer was less by 12.9 days, with prostate cancer– by 18.2 days.
Conclusion: In Kazakhstan, 4.8% of cancer patients with COVID-19 died in 2020-2021. The use of accelerated high-tech radiotherapy is justified in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccination can prevent COVID-19 development in cancer patients.
Keywords: radiotherapy, pandemic, COVID-19, oncology, vaccination.

List of sources used:
1. Chen N., Zhou M., Dong X., Qu J., Gong F., Han Y., Zhang L. Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 99 cases of 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia in Wuhan, China: a descriptive study // Lancet. – 2020. – Vol. 395 (10223). – P. 507-513. https://doi.org/10.1016%2FS0140-6736(20)30211-7
2. Hui D.S., I Azhar E., Madani T.A., Ntoumi F., Kock R., Dar O., Ippolito G., Mchugh T.D., Memish Z.A., Drosten C., Zumla A., Petersen E. The continuing 2019-nCoV epidemic threat of novel coronaviruses to global health – The latest 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China // Int. J. Infect. Dis. – 2020. – Vol. 91. – P. 264-266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2020.01.009
3. WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 – 11 March 2020
4. Epic Research. Delayed cancer screenings. May 4, 2020. https://epicresearch.org/articles/delays-in-preventive-cancer-screenings-during-covid-19-pandemic
5. Kissler S.M., Tedijanto C., Goldstein E., Grad Y.H., Lipsitch M. Projecting the transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 through the postpandemic period // Science. – 2020. – Vol. 368 (6493). – P. 860-868. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abb5793
6. Yu J., Ouyang W., Chua M.L.K., Xie C. SARS-CoV-2 transmission in patients with cancer at a tertiary care hospital in Wuhan, China // JAMA Oncol. – 2020. – Vol. 6 (7). – P. 1108-1110. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoncol.2020.0980
7. Burki T.K. Cancer guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic // Lancet Oncol. – 2020. – Vol. 21 (5). – P. 629-630. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(20)30217-5
8. Liang W., Guan W., Chen R., Wang W., Li J., Xu K., Li C., Ai Q., Lu W., Liang H., Li S., He J. Cancer patients in SARS-CoV-2 infection: a nationwide analysis in China // Lancet Oncol. – 2020. – Vol. 21 (3). – P. 335-337. https://doi.org/10.1016%2FS1470-2045(20)30096-6
9. Delaney G., Jacob S., Featherstone C., Barton M. The role of radiotherapy in cancer treatment: estimating optimal utilization from a review of evidence-based clinical guidelines // Cancer. – 2005. – Vol. 104 (6). – P. 1129-1137. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.21324
10. Rosenblatt E., Acuña O., Abdel-Wahab M. The challenge of global radiation therapy: an IAEA perspective // Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. – 2015. – Vol. 91 (4). – P. 687-689. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2014.12.008
11. Fowler J.F., Lindstrom M.J. Loss of local control with prolongation in radiotherapy // Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. – 1992. – Vol. 23 (2). – P. 457-467. https://doi.org/10.1016/0360-3016(92)90768-D
12. Ishkinin Y.I., Ibrayev R.Z., Raimbekov R.B., Datbayev K.D., Akhunova R.U., Raimzhanov K.B., Goncharova A.A., Kaldarbekova G.M., Turlybek Zh.G. Radiation therapy services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Oncology and Radiology of Kazakhstan. – 2021. – Vol. 60 (2). – P. 22-24. https://doi.org/10.52532/2663-4864-2021-2-60-22-24
13. Simcock R., Thomas T.V., Estes C., Filippi A.R., Katz M.S., Pereira I.J., Saeed H. COVID-19: Global radiation oncology’s targeted response for pandemic preparedness // Clin. Transl. Radiat. Oncol. – 2020. – Vol. 22. – P. 55-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctro.2020.03.009