Successful and Safe Reinstitution of Chemotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer after COVID-19

Intern Med. 2021 Jan 15;60(2):231-234. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.6294-20. Epub 2020 Nov 23.

Abstract

Cancer patients are regarded as highly vulnerable to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2. However, little is known regarding how cancer treatments should be restarted for cancer patients after coronavirus disease (COVID)-19. We herein report a pancreatic cancer case in which chemotherapy was able to be reinstituted after COVID-19. The patient was a 67-year-old man diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. On day 7 after first chemotherapy, he was infected with COVID-19. A SARS-CoV-2 test was negative after one month of treatment, and we reinstituted chemotherapy. The patient has received three cycles of chemotherapy without recurrence of COVID-19. It may be feasible to reinstitute chemotherapy for cancer patients after a negative SARS-CoV-2 test.

Keywords: COVID-19; coronavirus disease 19; drug therapy; febrile neutropenia; pancreatic neoplasms; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • COVID-19 / complications
  • COVID-19 / diagnosis*
  • COVID-19 / diagnostic imaging
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / complications
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • SARS-CoV-2*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents