Caring for AML Patients During the COVID-19 Crisis: An American and Italian Experience

Lindsay Wilde; Alessandro Isidori; Gina Keiffer; Neil Palmisiano; Margaret Kasner

doi:10.3389/fonc.2020.01689

Caring for AML Patients During the COVID-19 Crisis: An American and Italian Experience

Front Oncol. 2020 Sep 2:10:1689. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2020.01689. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Lindsay Wilde¹, Alessandro Isidori², Gina Keiffer¹, Neil Palmisiano¹, Margaret Kasner¹

Affiliations

¹ Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Department of Medical Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
² Hematology and Stem Cell Transplant Center, AORMN Hospital, Pesaro, Italy.

Abstract

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the subsequent pandemic have impacted every aspect of oncology care worldwide. Healthcare systems have been forced to rapidly change practices in order to maximize the safety of patients and healthcare providers and preserve scare resources. Patients with acute myeloid leukemia are at increased risk of complications from SARS-CoV-2 not only due to immune compromise related to the malignancy but also due to the acuity of the disease and intensity of treatment. These issues have created unique challenges during this difficult time. In this article, we present the approaches taken by two groups of hematologist/oncologists, one in the United States and one in Italy, who have been caring for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients in the face of the pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV2; acute myeloid leukemia; coronavirus; pandemic.

Publication types

Review