2021 Update of the AGIHO guideline on evidence-based management of COVID-19 in cancer patients regarding diagnostics, viral shedding, vaccination and therapy

Giesen, Nicola; Sprute, Rosanne; Rüthrich, Maria; Khodamoradi, Yascha; Mellinghoff, Sibylle C.; Beutel, Gernot; Lueck, Catherina; Koldehoff, Michael; Hentrich, Marcus; Sandherr, Michael; von Bergwelt-Baildon, Michael; Wolf, Hans-Heinrich; Hirsch, Hans H.; Wörmann, Bernhard; Cornely, Oliver A.; Köhler, Philipp; Schalk, Enrico; von Lilienfeld-Toal, Marie

The worldwide spread of SARS-CoV-2 and the associated infectious disease COVID-19 has posed a unique challenge to medical staff, patients and their families. Cancer patients, particularly those with haematologic malignancies, have been identified to be at high risk to develop severe COVID-19. Since publication of our previous guideline on evidence-based management of COVID-19 in cancer patients, research efforts have continued and new relevant data has come to light, maybe most importantly in the field of vaccination studies. Therefore, an update of our guideline on several clinically important topics is warranted. Here, we provide a concise update of evidence-based recommendations for rapid diagnostics, viral shedding, vaccination and therapy of COVID-19 in cancer patients. This guideline update was prepared by the Infectious Diseases Working Party (AGIHO) of the German Society for Haematology and Medical Oncology (DGHO) by critically reviewing the currently available data on these topics applying evidence-based medicine criteria.