RadiOnCOVID: Multicentric Analysis of the Impact of COVID-19 on Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy in Italy

A study conducted across 19 Italian Radiation Oncology centers examined 41,039 cancer patients undergoing or scheduled for anticancer treatment between February 2020 and May 2021. The study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on treatment schedules and patient outcomes. Among the cohort, 123 patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 during treatment (group A), and 99 were diagnosed before treatment initiation (group B). The overall COVID-19 incidence was 0.54%, including 0.30% in group A. Severe COVID-19 developed in 60 patients, and 45 died due to the infection (incidence of 0.15% and 0.11%, respectively). Treatment delays or suspensions were common, with 37.4% of group A requiring temporary suspension, 32.5% definitive suspension and 37 patients continuing treatment while positive. In group B, 53.5% faced delays, and 20.2% had definitive suspensions. Most of the patients with a COVID-19 diagnosis in our cohort recovered and completed their treatment; nonetheless, the attributable death rate after confirmed infection was 20.27%. With adequate preventive measures, radiation oncology could continue safely during the pandemic, resulting in a low incidence of severe outcomes and mortality.