EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF CANCER AND COVID-19 IN A DENSELY POPULATED SUBURBAN AREA

MARTIN LEMOS VILCHES; MARCELA PILLOFF; MERCEDES DIDIER GARNHAM; SOFIA BLANC; JUAN MANUEL VELAZQUEZ; ROMINA VALERIO; MARINA MOZGOVOJ; MARIA JOSÉ DUS SANTOS; JORGE MONTANARI; M. NATALIA CALIENNI

Congreso; Reunión Conjunta SAIC-SAI-AAFE-NANOMED-AR; 2021

SAIC-SAI-AAFE-NANOMED-AR

Diverse studies and data reports from 2020 showed that cancer patients were more prone to die by COVID-19, in special those undergoing hematologic malignancies and lung cancer. Information on how different cancer treatments influences the COVID-19 condition still remains unclear presenting some controversies. As pandemic drove the agenda of the Universidad Nacional de Hurlingham (UNAHUR) to set up a diagnostic center for SARS-CoV-2 detection by RT-qPCR that analyzes hundreds of samples from nearby municipalities on a daily basis, we proposed to carry out a retrospective cohort study to elucidate relations and influences between cancer, cancer treatments, and COVID-19. Furthermore, we proposed to standardize the RT-qPCR technique to quantify the viral load of the patients to also relate it with the presence of the oncological disease.Eligible patients are those with a measurable oncologic disease whose samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection at our diagnostic center. Data are systematized to carry out the analysis, anonymizing the patients, and including the severity of COVID-19 disease, type of cancer, and oncologic treatments, among others. All procedures were approved by both the ethical committees of UNAHUR and of Buenos Aires Province. Absolute viral load was quantified by constructing a plasmid with a sequence from the E viral gene ?the viral target for PCR? to obtain a calibration curve from serial dilutions. Therefore, we are analyzing possible relations between SARS-CoV-2 infection and clinical features of oncologic patients. We will present the preliminary results of the data analysis as well as sharing our research experience within the pandemic context.