Management of Cancer Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic: the Italian perspective on the Second Wave

Abstract The novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been an overwhelming challenge for worldwide health systems. Since the beginning of year 2020, COVID-19 has represented a potential harm for cancer patients and has often hindered oncology care. The Collegio Italiano dei Primari Oncologi Medici (CIPOMO) is an Italian association of head physicians in oncology departments, which promotes working and research activities in oncology on a national basis. During the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, the CIPOMO promoted a national survey aiming to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on oncologists’ clinical activity and what changes have been made compared with the Italian situation during the first wave of the pandemic. Overall, 138 heads of medical oncology departments participated in this survey: 75 (54%) from the North, 24 (17%) from the Center, and 39 (28%) from the South of Italy and islands. This survey provides an overview of Italian oncologists facing the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic. The lesson learned during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic has led to a better organization of clinical activities, and regular testing among healthcare practitioners, with better chances to grant patients’ protection. However, the lack of standardized informatic platforms results in serious challenges in replacing frontal visits, often making a concrete reduction of patients’ hospital accesses unfeasible. Oncologists need to keep preserving the continuum of care of patients. Standardization of safety measures, together with the implementation of informatic platforms, can significantly improve oncology pathways during this second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.