Evidence is evolving rapidly in response to COVID-19. We still don’t know enough about the implications for cancer patients and our cancer services. Here we are keeping track of evidence as it evolves. Read more
Many data-driven initiatives and clinical studies have been rapidly established as part of the COVID-19 response. Here we summarise those that may help our Cancer patients. Read more
We are contributing data on cancer patients diagnosed with COVID-19 to the national collaborative programme that is seeking to Read more
Timeline of the pandemic
- 16th June - Recovery trial demonstrates mortality benefit from dexamethasone in severely ill patients with COVID-19
- 3rd June - Scottish Government publish prioritisation framework for cancer surgery as part of the NHS COVID recovery plan
- 28th May - UK-CCMP project report published in the Lancet
- 15th May - Antibody tests from Roche and Abbot are approved by Public Health England
- 8th May - MSKCC in New York publish series of 423 cancer patients diagnosed with COVID-19, identifying immune checkpoint inhibitors as being associated with adverse outcome. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.04.200863
- 8th May - Subgroup analysis looking at survival after COVID-19 hospital infection by linkage to SystemOne primary care records shows increase risk of COVID specific death in patients within 1 year of a cancer diagnosis https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.06.20092999v1
- 28 April - Interim Governance Framework for Cancer Medicines during COVID-19 is published by the Scottish Government, initiating the convening of a COVID-19 National Cancer Medicines Advisory Group (COVID 19 NCMAG)
- 28 April - Preprint abstract reporting on initial UK recruitment to the ISARIC study is published - specific data on cancer patients is awaited.
- 27 April - NHS England endorses de-escalation of systemic anti-cancer treatment as part of the COVID-19 response (NICE NG161)
- 26 April - Edinburgh Cancer reports on outcomes and basic characteristics of first 25 cancer patients with a COVID-19 diagnosis
- 20th April - Scottish Government publish guidance for the management of cancer as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic
- April - Edinburgh Cancer Centre reports on outcomes from it's first 10 cancer patients diagnosed with COVID-19
- 30 March - Scottish cancer screening programmes paused
- 23 March - UK lockdown commences - essential travel only, schools close.
- 17 March - NHS Lothian suspends new recruitment to clinical trials, unless directly beneficial to the COVID response
- 16 March - UK Government requests social distancing
- 12 March - First Edinburgh Cancer Centre patient COVID-19 diagnosis
- 11 March - WHO declares COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic
- 1 March - First Scottish COVID-19 diagnosis in Tayside
- 28 February - First evidence of COVID-19 transmission within the UK
- 31 December 2019 - Chinese authorities alerted the World Health Organization (WHO) of pneumonia cases in Wuhan City, Hubei province, China. The disease was first referred to as 2019-nCoV.
COVID and Cancer Evidence Updates
Evidence Update – Covid-19 in patients with Thoracic Malignancies
Speciality Trainee in Medical Oncology Dr Ashley Pheely gives an update on some recent evidence about Covid-19 in patients with cancer TERAVOLT STUDY- COVID-19 in
Evidence Update – Covid-19 and Cancer
Speciality Trainee in Medical Oncology Dr Sam Kestenbaum gives an update on some recent evidence about Covid-19 in patients with cancer Clinical impact of COVID-19
Evidence Update – Covid-19 in Healthcare Workers
Speciality Trainee in Clinical Oncology Dr Karen Mactier gives an update on some recent evidence. Evidence of past COVID-19 infection in healthcare workers (HCWs) is
Evidence Update – Covid-19 and Cancer
Specialist registrar in Clinical Oncology Dr Stuart Walter reviews two recent papers 1. Risk factors for SARS-Cov-2 among patients in the Oxford Royal College of
Evidence update – COVID-19 outcomes in cancer patients
Specialty Trainee in Clinical Oncology Dr Ruth Fullerton gives an update on some recent evidence. For people living with cancer and the clinicians looking after
Is there an excess in cancer deaths in Scotland during the Covid-19 pandemic?
Dr Jonine Figueroa, Cancer Epidemiologist at the University of Edinburgh analysis of the latest death registration data in Scotland and looks at excess COVID-related mortality in cancer patients