Radiotherapy in COVID-19 patient affected by multiple myeloma: A case report

Marco Krengli, Debora Beldì, Eleonora Ferrara, Micol Zannetti, Federico Mastroleo, Lorenzo de Paoli, Mariangela Greco, Erica Matino, Mario Pirisi, Gianluca Gaidano

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

In COVID-19 pandemic, cancer patients may be vulnerable for their immunological status and need of immunosuppressive anti-neoplastic treatments. Choosing the best treatment option in COVID-19 positive cancer patients is still a challenging issue. We report the case of a 62-year-old woman diagnosed with multiple myeloma and affected by COVID-19. After the diagnosis of multiple myeloma in January 2019, the patient underwent first line therapy followed by bone marrow autologous stem cell transplantation, achieving a complete response in September 2019. In March 2020, the patient showed intrathoracic progression of the disease, resulting in a severe dysphagia and concomitant positivity to SARS-CoV-2 swab test, cough, fever, and dyspnea related to the involvement of the lung parenchyma as shown by CT-scan. After her admittance to a COVID-19 dedicated inward, she was administered oral hydroxychloroquine and darunavir-cobicistat for 7 days with stabilization of her general clinical conditions. For the worsening of dysphagia, after multidisciplinary discussion, it was decided to deliver radiotherapy to the mediastinal and paravertebral mass with 8 Gy single fraction. After 5 days, her clinical conditions improved, with reduction of dysphagia. The CT confirmed a partial response with reduction of the mass of about 50%. Viral clearance was confirmed by triple negative search for SARS-CoV-2 on nasopharyngeal swabs, one month after first documentation of positivity. Unfortunately, the patient died three months later due to a pulmonary mycotic infection causing respiratory failure. To our knowledge, this case report describes the first experience of mediastinal radiotherapy in a COVID-19 patient affected by myeloma reported in the literature. In case of clinical indication, even in presence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, radiotherapy can be safely delivered and might be considered a treatment option as shown by our experience in this challenging case of intrathoracic myeloma.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)7662-7668
Number of pages7
JournalTranslational Cancer Research
Volume9
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2020

Keywords

  • COVID-19
  • Case report
  • Multiple myeloma
  • Palliative treatment
  • Radiotherapy

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