Korean J Intern Med.  2021 Nov;36(6):1459-1470. 10.3904/kjim.2021.186.

The effect of the response to the coronavirus disease pandemic on treatment outcomes in patients with lymphoma and multiple myeloma

• Kang KW
• Lee BH
• Jeon MJ
• Yu ES
• Kim DS
• Lee SR
• Sung HJ
• Choi CW
• Park Y
• Kim BS

• KMID: 2521741
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2021.186

Abstract

Background/Aims
Relatively little data are available on how the response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected treatment outcomes in patients receiving chemotherapy for lymphoma or multiple myeloma. We aimed to determine the effect of COVID-19 countermeasures on treatment outcomes in this patient population.
Methods
We retrospectively analyzed data on patients treated for lymphoma or multiple myeloma in two tertiary hospitals in Seoul. Patients were divided into two groups: group 1 included patients who received chemotherapy between September and December 2019 (the control period), and group 2 included patients who received chemotherapy between September and December 2020 (the study period). Countermeasures to COVID-19 were applied to the patients in group 2. The countermeasures implemented included mask wearing and regular handwashing at home and in hospital; COVID-19 risk assessments on all hospital visitors; and pre-emptive COVID-19 screening for all newly hospitalized patients and their resident guardians.
Results
No differences in treatment outcomes, including treatment response, incidence and duration of neutropenia or neutropenic fever, delays in chemotherapy, or number of deaths during chemotherapy, were observed between the g roups. None of the patients in group 2 tested positive for COVID-19, and there were no COVID-19-related deaths during the study period.
Conclusions
Countermeasures to COVID-19 did not affect treatment outcomes in patients receiving chemotherapy for lymphoma or multiple myeloma. Data on the effect of countermeasures to COVID-19 on treatment outcomes should continue to be analyzed to ensure that treatment outcomes are not adversely affected.

Keyword

Treatment outcome; Lymphoma; Multiple myeloma; Coronavirus