European journal of cancer : official journal for European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) [and] European Association for Cancer Research (EACR)
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In view of the potential gravity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection for patients with cancer, epidemiological data are vital to assess virus circulation among patients and staff of cancer centres. We performed a prospective study to investigate seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among staff and patients with cancer at a large cancer centre, at the end of the period of first national lockdown in France and to determine factors associated with the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. ⋯ We report very low seroprevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in the staff (caregiving and non-caregiving) and patients of a large cancer care centre in which strict hygiene, personal protection, and social distancing measures were implemented.
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Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is interfering heavily with the screening, diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. Better knowledge of the seroprevalence and immune response after Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in this population is important to manage them safely during the pandemic. ⋯ HCW were at high risk of being infected by SARS-CoV-2 during the first wave of the pandemic. Seroprevalence in cancer patients was low in the study period. Although Ig immune response in cancer patients with solid tumours does not differ from healthy volunteers, patients with hematological tumours have a very poor humoral immune response. This has to be taken into account in future vaccination programmes in this population. SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests have divergent results and seem to have little added value in the management of cancer patients.
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BRCA1/BRCA2 mutation carriers often undergo risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) before natural menopause, raising the issue of hormonal replacement treatment (HRT) use. There is conflicting evidence on the effect of HRT on breast cancer (BC) risk, and there are limited data on risk based on age at exposure. In the general population, HRT users have an increased BC risk (hazard ratio = 1.34). We assessed the impact of short-term HRT use on BC risk among healthy BRCA1/2 mutation carriers, with emphasis on age at exposure to HRT. ⋯ In BRCA1/BRCA2 carriers in this study, short-term post-RRSO HRT use was associated with a threefold risk of BC in carriers older than 45 years. These results suggest that risk may be related to time of exposure to HRT around the natural age of menopause, even among BRCA1/2 carriers. Further studies are needed for validation and to guide future recommendations.