Lung cancer and COVID-19: problems and perspectives

U. Tirelli, C. Cirrito, M. Pavanello, S. Chirumbolo, M. Franzini, M. Berretta

Tirelli Medical Group, Pordenone, Italy. salvatore.chirumbolo@univr.it

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• Infectious Diseases
• Oncology

COVID-19 pandemic generated concerns about the healthcare of patients with cancer, not simply because of the formidable impact of COVID-19 patients in the public healthcare system, but also due to the overlapping pathognomonic signs of many forms of lung cancer with lung injuries associated with COVID-19. This report tries to shed light on the issue. We evaluated the great concern of people suffering from lung cancer and also infected with SARS-CoV-2 by discussing evidence and data from current literature. Lung cancer in Italy has represented more than 1 case/4 (27%) in the latest ten years and nevertheless, even due to the concurrence of many complex interplays between COVID-19 and cancer even at the immune level, a consensus protocol and expert guidelines to diagnose and treat lung cancer upon SARS-CoV-2 infection are yet lacking. New insights and consensus panels should be therefore proposed, even at the simplistic level about if priority must be either given to COVID-19 or to cancer therapy.

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