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
Lung cancer admission patterns during the pandemic
Data from a single-center study in Scotland suggested that there were more patients with lung cancer admitted acutely with cancer, non-COVID-19-related illness during the COVID-19
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