COVID-19 and Genitourinary Cancers

Association of the COVID-19 Pandemic With Rates of Prostate Cancer Biopsies and Diagnoses in Black vs White US Veterans.

Several studies have assessed the negative effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer screening and diagnosis rates. However, this has not been evaluated for prostate biopsy and prostate cancer (PC) diagnosis in an equal-access health care system.

Effect of Androgen-Androgen Receptor Directed Therapy on COVID-19 Outcome in Prostate Cancer Patients.

TMPRSS2 is utilized by SARS-CoV-2 for cellular entry. Androgen-Androgen receptor directed therapy (A/ARDT) downregulates expression of TMPRSS2. We hypothesized A/ARDT might protect prostate cancer (PCa) patients from poor COVID-19 outcome.

A retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in patients with advanced genitourinary cancers.

COVID-19 vaccination is one of the pivotal key tools against the ongoing pandemic, but its acceptance relies on efficacy and safety data among various populations, including patients with cancers. However, there is limited data on seroconversion rates, efficacy, and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine in patients with cancer.

A retrospective cohort study of bladder cancer following the COVID-19 pandemic: Are patients presenting with more aggressive disease?

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in delays in the treatment of patients with urological malignancies. The management of bladder cancer (BC) in particular poses a significant challenge given the recurrent nature of the disease and the intense follow-up regime required for many cases.

Impact of COVID-19 on the incidence of localized and metastatic prostate cancer among White and Black Veterans.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening and prostate biopsy procedures. We sought to determine whether delayed screening and diagnostic workup of prostate cancer (PCa) was associated with increased subsequent rates of incident PCa and advanced PCa and whether the rates differed by race.

Delayed urologic cancer care in the COVID-19 pandemic: Patients' experiences.

To understand experiences of patients with genitourinary cancer who experienced delayed cancer care due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We conducted a mixed methods study with an explanatory sequential design.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on urological cancers: The surgical experience of two cancer hubs in London and Milan.

To report on the outcomes of urological cancer patients undergoing radical surgery between March-September 2020 (compared with 2019) in the European Institute of Oncology (IEO) in Milan and the South East London Cancer Alliance (SELCA).

The effect of COVID-19 on prostate cancer testing in Australia.

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare in Australia have yet to be fully determined. There are well documented decreases in the rates of screening and diagnostic testing for many cancers in 2020, with commensurate stage migration of cancers when they are eventually detected.

Lessons learned after one year of COVID-19 from a urologist and radiotherapist view: A German survey on prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, COVID-19 has changed the medical landscape. International recommendations for localized prostate cancer (PCa) include deferred treatment and adjusted therapeutic routines.

COVID-19 and financial toxicity in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

To ascertain renal cell carcinoma (RCC) financial toxicity on COVID-19 during the COVID-19 crisis as patients are struggling with therapeutic and financial implications.

An online survey was conducted from March 22 to March 25, 2020.

Trends of Cancer Screenings, Diagnoses, and Mortalities During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications and Future Recommendations.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer screenings and care has yet to be determined. This study aims to investigate the screening, diagnosis, and mortality rates of the top five leading causes of cancer mortality in the United States from 2019 to 2021 to determine the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer care.

Impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on prostate cancer care in the Netherlands.

The COVID-19 outbreak has affected care for non-COVID diseases like cancer. We evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on prostate cancer care in the Netherlands.

Prostate cancer diagnoses per month in 2020-2021 versus 2018-2019 were compared based on preliminary data of the Netherlands Cancer Registry (NCR) and nationwide pathology network.

Black Patients with Cancer Fare Worse with COVID-19, Study Shows

Structural racism, rather than disease, leads to inequities, authors write

Reno, Nevada (UroToday.com) -- Black patients with cancer experienced significantly worse outcomes after COVID-19 diagnosis than non-Hispanic white cancer patients in a study published March 28 in JAMA Network Open. Investigators of the COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium (https://ccc19.org/), which includes more than 125 cancer centers and other organizations, studied the electronic health records of 3,506 patients for the analysis, including data of 1,068 Black patients and 2,438 non-Hispanic white patients.

Racial Disparities in COVID-19 Outcomes Among Black and White Patients With Cancer.

Non-Hispanic Black individuals experience a higher burden of COVID-19 than the general population; hence, there is an urgent need to characterize the unique clinical course and outcomes of COVID-19 in Black patients with cancer.

Moffitt Study Finds Cancer Patients Do Benefit From COVID-19 Vaccination

Reno, Nevada (UroToday.com) -- Cancer patients who have compromised immune systems due to their disease or therapy remain at high risk for COVID-19 infection. It is why this population was one of the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. However, while clinical trials showed vaccination could prevent infection or lessen the risk of severe illness in healthy individuals, it was unclear if those considered immunocompromised would have a similar response. Moffitt Cancer Center researchers quickly put together one of the largest observational studies to date to answer that question. Their results were published today in JAMA Oncology.

Geriatric risk factors for serious COVID-19 outcomes among older adults with cancer: a cohort study from the COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium.

Older age is associated with poorer outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection, although the heterogeneity of ageing results in some older adults being at greater risk than others. The objective of this study was to quantify the association of a novel geriatric risk index, comprising age, modified Charlson comorbidity index, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, with COVID-19 severity and 30-day mortality among older adults with cancer.

AACR Releases Report Outlining Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Cancer Research and Patient Care

  • Patients with cancer not only are at increased risk for severe COVID-19, but also face cancer treatment delays and interruptions due to the pandemic, potentially worsening cancer outcomes.
  • Nearly 10 million missed cancer screenings in 2020 could lead to diagnoses of advanced-stage cancers and increased cancer deaths in the coming years.
  • Early-career investigators, especially women and underrepresented minorities, are uniquely vulnerable to the adverse impacts of the pandemic.
Reno, Nevada (UroToday.com) -- The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) released the AACR Report on the Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer Research and Patient Care. This first-of-its-kind report provides a comprehensive view of the burden of COVID-19 among patients with cancer; the challenges presented by the pandemic in cancer research and patient care; and the changes implemented during the pandemic that have unexpectedly improved research practices and access to care.

Incident Cancer Detection During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Resource restrictions were established in many jurisdictions to maintain health system capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Disrupted healthcare access likely impacted early cancer detection. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of the pandemic on weekly reported cancer incidence.

Selective vulnerabilities in the proteostasis network of castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is associated with an increased reliance on heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), but it is not clear what other protein homeostasis (proteostasis) factors might be involved.

Symptom burden profiles in men with advanced prostate cancer undergoing androgen deprivation therapy.

To identify symptom burden profiles among men with advanced prostate cancer undergoing androgen-deprivation therapy and examine their association with baseline sociodemographic and medical characteristics and psychosocial outcomes over time.