Results and Impact of Intensive SARS-CoV-2 Testing in a High Volume, Outpatient Radiation Oncology Clinic in a Pandemic Hotspot

  1. Sean M McBride
  2. Kimberly Bundick
  3. Harper Hubbeling
  4. Morgan Freret
  5. Leslie A Modlin
  6. Mini Kamboj
  7. Oren Cahlon
  8. Daniel R Gomez

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Abstract

Background

In an attempt to reduce interruptions in radiation treatment, our department implemented universal SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing during the peak of the New York City COVID-19 epidemic.

Methods

Starting 4/18/20, outpatients coming into the Department of Radiation Oncology for either simulation or brachytherapy were required to undergo PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2. Starting on 5/6/20, patients were offered simultaneous SARS CoV-2 IgG antibody testing.

Results

Between 4/18/20-6/25/20, 1360 patients underwent 1,401 outpatient screening visits (Table 1). Of the patients screened, 411 were screened between 4/18/20 and 5/6/20 ( Phase 1 ) with PCR testing: 13 (3.1%) patients were PCR positive. From 5/7/20 to 6/25/20, 990 patients were scheduled for both PCR and antibody testing ( Phase 2 ), including 41 previously screened in Phase 1. Of those with known antibody status (n=952), 5.5% were seropositive. After 5/21/20, no screened patient (n=605) tested PCR positive. In the month prior to screening (3/17/20-4/19/20), 24 of 625 patients initiating external radiation had treatment interrupted due to COVID-19 infection (3.8%) vs 7 of 600 patients (1.1%) in the month post screening (4/20/20-5/24/20) (p=0.002).

Conclusions

State-wide mitigation efforts, coupled with intensive departmental screening, helped prevent interruptions in radiation during the COVID-19 epidemic that could have compromised treatment efficacy.

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    SciScore for 10.1101/2020.08.11.20172551: (What is this?)

    Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.

    Table 1: Rigor

    Institutional Review Board StatementIRB: This study was approved by the MSKCC Institutional Review Board (#20-216).
    Randomizationnot detected.
    Blindingnot detected.
    Power Analysisnot detected.
    Sex as a biological variablenot detected.

    Table 2: Resources

    Software and Algorithms
    SentencesResources
    2 Antibody testing was conducted using the Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG immunoassay.
    Abbott
    suggested: (Abbott, RRID:SCR_010477)

    Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).

    Results from LimitationRecognizer: An explicit section about the limitations of the techniques employed in this study was not found. We encourage authors to address study limitations.

    Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.

    Results from Barzooka: We did not find any issues relating to the usage of bar graphs.

    Results from JetFighter: We did not find any issues relating to colormaps.

    Results from rtransparent:
    • Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • Thank you for including a funding statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • No protocol registration statement was detected.

    About SciScore

    SciScore is an automated tool that is designed to assist expert reviewers by finding and presenting formulaic information scattered throughout a paper in a standard, easy to digest format. SciScore checks for the presence and correctness of RRIDs (research resource identifiers), and for rigor criteria such as sex and investigator blinding. For details on the theoretical underpinning of rigor criteria and the tools shown here, including references cited, please follow this link.

  2. Version published to 10.1101/2020.08.11.20172551v1 on medRxiv