RESUMEN
This report describes a pediatric patient who underwent chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy for refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) four years prior, with resultant hypogammaglobulinemia for which he was receiving weekly subcutaneous immune globulin. He presented with persistent fever, dry cough, and a tingling sensation in his toes following a confirmed COVID-19 infection 3 weeks prior. His initial nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 PCR was negative, leading to an extensive workup for other infections. He was ultimately diagnosed with persistent lower respiratory tract COVID-19 infection based on positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) sampling. He was treated with a combination of remdesivir (antiviral) and casirivimab/imdevimab (combination monoclonal antibodies) with immediate improvement in fever, respiratory symptoms, and neurologic symptoms.
RESUMEN
Chemotherapy can cause many distressing side effects, potentially impacting treatment completion and quality of life in adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with cancer. To identify ways to help mitigate chemotherapy-related symptoms, we sought to elicit barriers and facilitators to managing symptoms experienced by AYAs with cancer through interviews. Qualitative thematic analysis identified three main domains: (1) managing chemotherapy symptoms (e.g., medication, home remedies), (2) anticipating and mitigating symptoms (e.g., management of symptoms at home, anticipatory guidance), and (3) knowing when to seek care (e.g., unexpected and unusual symptoms). This study elucidated that AYAs can successfully manage symptoms at home when given the proper guidance and this could be a focus of future efforts to improve outcomes in this population. The Clinical Trial Registration number is NCT04594096.