TY - JOUR
AR - COR-2021-6-105
TI - Delivery of Cancer Care at Home during the First COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy: A  Case Series Study (DomOnCOVID Project)
AU - Rodolfo , Passalacqua
AU - Margherita, Ratti
AU - Maria, Bonomi
AU - Giulia, Grizzi
AU - Federica, Negri
AU - Francesco, Crea
AU - Mariaolga, Giganti
AU - Bruno, Perrucci
AU - Matteo, Brighenti
AU - Stefano, Panni
AU - Maddalena, Donini
AU - Alessandra, Curti
AU - Daniele, Spada
AU - Roberta, Marchi
AU - Gianvito, Donati
AU - Jessica, Saleri
AU - Morena, Nazzari
AU - Giovanna, Pogliacomi
AU - Francesca , Diodati
AU - Caterina , Caminiti
JO - Clinical Oncology and Research
PY - 2021
DA - Mon 21, Jun 2021
SN - 2613-4942
DO - http://dx.doi.org/10.31487/j.COR.2021.06.05
UR - https://www.sciencerepository.org/delivery-of-cancer-care-at-home-during-the-first-covid-19-pandemic_COR-2021-6-105 
KW - Home care, COVID-19, cancer, telemedicine, continuity of care
AB - Background: Cancer represents a major risk factor for COVID-19 poor outcomes. During the crucial phase 
of the pandemic, we launched a home care project, called DomOnCOVID, aiming to provide care to patients 
in their own homes, enabling to keep immunocompromised individuals away from health care facilities, 
decrease hospital use, and strengthen hospital capacity for subjects with COVID-19 and other conditions. 
This paper describes this intervention in terms of feasibility and clinical outcomes.
Methods: This is a descriptive study of cancer patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection 
assisted at home in the Italian Province of Cremona during the pandemic’s first peak. We devised an 
organizational home care system which included a medical and nursing team equipped with a car for home 
visits, and a nurse manager who screened patient calls requesting inclusion in the project. The team 
administered oral drugs at home (chemotherapy, TKis, etc.) and was equipped with all necessary tools to 
conduct examinations, check vital signs, take blood samples, and nasopharyngeal swabs for COVID-19 
testing. 
Results: From March 23rd to May 15th 2020, 71 cancer patients were assisted at home (181 visits, mean 
2.5, SD 1.6 range 1-7). All had symptoms that could be traced back to COVID infection, but only 26/71 
(37%) were found to be COVID+; 19/26 (73%) had mild symptoms, while 7 with severe symptoms were 
hospitalized and 2 died for COVID-19. The remaining patients recovered. 43/71 (60%) received at home 
oral or subcutaneous drugs and no particular problems or toxicity were observed. 16/28 (57%) of individuals 
living with COVID+ patients were found to be COVID+, while none of the non-cohabiting were COVID+. 
Conclusion: Delivery of cancer care at home is feasible and may be particularly useful not only during 
health crises but also after the epidemic in order to reduce hospital access, patient and care-giver travel and 
improve their quality of life. Further implementation studies on home-based care in oncology are warranted.