SARS-CoV-2 Testing for Asymptomatic Patients with Cancer Prior and during Treatment: A Single Centre Experience

Patients with cancer are more vulnerable to severe COVID-19. As a result, routine SARS-CoV-2 testing of asymptomatic patients with cancer is recommended prior to treatment. However, there is limited evidence of its clinical usefulness. The objective of this study is to evaluate the value of routine testing of asymptomatic patients with cancer. Asymptomatic patients with cancer attending Odette Cancer Centre (Toronto, ON, Canada) were tested for SARS-CoV-2 prior to and during treatment cycles. Results were compared to positivity rates of SARS-CoV-2 locally and provincially. All 890 asymptomatic patients tested negative. Positivity rates in the province were 1.5%, in hospital were 1.0%, and among OCC’s symptomatic cancer patients were 0% over the study period. Given our findings and the low SARS-CoV-2 community positivity rates, we recommend a dynamic testing model of asymptomatic patients that triggers testing during increasing community positivity rates of SARS-CoV-2.

Effect of obesity, dyslipidemia, and diabetes on trastuzumab-related cardiotoxicity in breast cancer

Background Clinical trials have demonstrated an increased risk of cardiotoxicity in patients with breast cancer (bca) receiving trastuzumab-based therapy. Diabetes, dyslipidemia, and obesity are known risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Studies have yielded conflicting results about whether those factors increase the risk of cardiotoxicity in patients with bca receiving trastuzumab.Methods In this retrospective cohort study, data were collected for 243 patients with bca positive for her2 (the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) who were receiving trastuzumab and who were referred to The Ottawa Hospital Cardio-oncology Referral Clinic between 2008 and 2013. The data collected included patient demographics, reason for referral, cardiac function, chemotherapy regimen (including anthracycline use), and 3 comorbidities (diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity). Rates of symptomatic cancer treatment–related cardiac dysfunction (sctcd) and asymptomatic decline in left ventricular ejection fraction (adlvef) were calculated for patients with and without the comorbidities of interest.Results Of the 243 identified patients, 104 had either diabetes, dyslipidemia, or obesity. In that population, the most likely reason for referral to the cardio-oncology clinic was adlvef. The combination of 2 or 3 comorbidities significantly increased the incidence of sctcd in our population, reaching a rate of 67% for patients with obesity and dyslipidemia [relative risk (rr): 2.2; p = 0.04], 69% for patients with obesity and diabetes (rr: 2.3; p = 0.02), and 72% for patients with all 3 risk factors (rr: 2.4; p = 0.08).Conclusions The combination of 2 or 3 comorbidities significantly increases the incidence of symptomatic cancer treatment–related cardiotoxicity. Patients with bca experiencing cancer treatment–related cardiotoxicity who have a history of diabetes, dyslipidemia, and obesity might require more proactive strategies for prevention, detection, and treatment of cardiotoxicity while receiving trastuzumab-based treatment.

Use of heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback for symptom management among cancer survivors.

10099 Background: Late effects of cancer and its treatment include pain, fatigue, stress, and depression all mediated by autonomic dysfunction. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) coherence is an established measure of autonomic dysfunction. Cancer survivors have lower HRV coherence than normal controls. HRV biofeedback (HRV-B) training improves HRV coherence, restores autonomic health, and reduces the above symptoms. This report describes a feasibility study of HRV-B in symptomatic cancer survivors. Methods: In a randomized, waitlist controlled, clinical trial, 179 were screened, 34 enrolled and 31 completed the protocol. Participants in the intervention arm received weekly HRV-B training up to six weeks. Outcome measures assessed at baseline (pre) and after week six (post) included HRV coherence plus Insomnia Symptom Questionnaire (ISQ), Suscro Distress Inventory (SDI), Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), Multi-Dimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II). Results: See table below. Conclusions: Delivering HRV Biofeedback training to cancer survivors is feasible at our Cancer Institute. This pilot study provides preliminary evidence that HRV-B for cancer survivors improves HRV coherence and reduces insomnia, pain, fatigue, depression, and stress. The intervention has great potential and further research is indicated. [Table: see text]