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Rolfo C, Meshulami N, Russo A, Krammer F, García-Sastre A, Mack PC, Gomez JE, Bhardwaj N, Benyounes A, Sirera R, Moore A, Rohs N, Henschke CI, Yankelevitz D, King J, Shyr Y, Bunn PA, Minna JD, Hirsch FR. Lung Cancer and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection: Identifying Important Knowledge Gaps for Investigation. J Thorac Oncol 2021; 17:214-227. [PMID: 34774792 PMCID: PMC8579698 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtho.2021.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Patients with lung cancer are especially vulnerable to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with a greater than sevenfold higher rate of becoming infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) COVID-19, a greater than threefold higher hospitalization rate with high complication rates, and an estimated case fatality rate of more than 30%. The reasons for the increased vulnerability are not known. In addition, beyond the direct impact of the pandemic on morbidity and mortality among patients with lung cancer, COVID-19, with its disruption of patient care, has also resulted in substantial impact on lung cancer screening and treatment/management.COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective in people with lung cancer. On the basis of the available data, patients with lung cancer should continue their course of cancer treatment and get vaccinated against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. For unknown reasons, some patients with lung cancer mount poor antibody responses to vaccination. Thus, boosting vaccination seems urgently indicated in this subgroup of vulnerable patients with lung cancer. Nevertheless, many unanswered questions regarding vaccination in this population remain, including the magnitude, quality, and duration of antibody response and the role of innate and acquired cellular immunities for clinical protection. Additional important knowledge gaps also remain, including the following: how can we best protect patients with lung cancer from developing COVID-19, including managing care in patient with lung cancer and the home environment of patients with lung cancer; are there clinical/treatment demographics and tumor molecular demographics that affect severity of COVID-19 disease in patients with lung cancer; does anticancer treatment affect antibody production and protection; does SARS-CoV-2 infection affect the development/progression of lung cancer; and are special measures and vaccine strategies needed for patients with lung cancer as viral variants of concern emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Rolfo
- Center of Excellence for Thoracic Oncology, The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine, at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Noy Meshulami
- Center of Excellence for Thoracic Oncology, The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine, at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Alessandro Russo
- Medical Oncology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Papardo (A.O. Papardo), Messina, Italy
| | - Florian Krammer
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Adolfo García-Sastre
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Philip C Mack
- Center of Excellence for Thoracic Oncology, The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine, at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Jorge E Gomez
- The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Nina Bhardwaj
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Amin Benyounes
- Thoracic Oncology, Inova Schar Cancer Institute, Fairfax, Virginia
| | - Rafael Sirera
- Unidad Mixta TRIAL, Centro Investigación Príncipe Felipe-Fundación Investigación, Hospital General Universitario de Valencia, Valencia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Cáncer, CIBERONC, Madrid, Spain; Department of Biotechnology, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Amy Moore
- LUNGevity Foundation, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Nicholas Rohs
- Center of Excellence for Thoracic Oncology, The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine, at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | | | - David Yankelevitz
- Department of Radiology, Mount Sinai Health System, New York, New York
| | - Jennifer King
- GO(2) Foundation for Lung Cancer, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Yu Shyr
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Paul A Bunn
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, Colorado
| | - John D Minna
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Fred R Hirsch
- Center of Excellence for Thoracic Oncology, The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine, at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
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