Thursday, February 11, 2021

Thursday, February 11, 2021

Tonight's picture was taken in February of 2009. Mattie was home between hospital visits and as you can see he created a volcano from a kit. Mattie was intrigued by the science behind the molten rock coming up through the "earth." I can't tell you how many volcanos we watched erupt that year while Mattie was in treatment. Naturally, I really did not care about the mess. If it interested Mattie, made him happy, and it perked up his mood, I was all for it. 

Quote of the day: Today's coronavirus update from Johns Hopkins.

• Number of people diagnosed with the virus: 27,382,857
• Number of people who died from the virus: 475,040

In my email inbox today was a study entitled, Characterization of COVID-19 disease in pediatric oncology patients: The New York-New Jersey regional experience. It described the characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its impact on childhood cancer care in the New York region during the peak of the pandemic. 

This multicenter study included 13 institutions. Clinical and laboratory information on 98 patients (less than 21 years of age) receiving active anticancer therapy, who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, was collected. 

Of the 578 pediatric oncology patients tested for COVID-19, 98 were positive, of whom 73 were symptomatic. Most experienced mild disease, 28 required inpatient management, 25 needed oxygen support, and seven required mechanical ventilation. 

Delays in cancer therapy occurred in 67% of SARS-CoV-2-positive patients. Of four deaths, none were solely attributable to COVID-19. The impact of the pandemic on pediatric oncology care was significant, with 54% of institutions reporting delays in chemotherapy, 46% delays in surgery, and 30% delays in transplant. 

In this large multi-institutional study, it was observed that the mortality and morbidity from COVID-19 amongst pediatric oncology patients were low overall, but higher than reported in general pediatrics. 

I think the findings from this study are noteworthy and in time we will see the LARGE medical and psychosocial consequence of lockdowns from COVID-19. One thing I know is very certain about cancer.... if you delay treatment there are consequences. I truly feel for parents having to make life and death decisions for their child in the midst of a pandemic. It is heart breaking, because I know all too well that when our child's treatment goes well, we are happy, but when it doesn't go well, we blame ourselves.