Background: Patients with cancer, both active and previously treated, are at a higher risk of developing severe outcomes from COVID-19. During the pandemic, health care systems (HCS) have adapted the delivery of care, and disparities between private and public systems became even more striking. In Brazil, where 70% of the population depends on the public system, ICU demands largely exceed the capacity in most public centers, whereas in private centers the situation is less challenging. Herein we compare outcomes of patients with cancer and COVID-19 treated in the public and private HCS in Brazil. Methods: We used data from adult patients with solid malignancies who tested positive for COVID-19 and were admitted to two tertiary centers in the state of São Paulo. Patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV2 RNA real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were included. We collected data on baseline clinical conditions, cancer and treatment. Patients were classified by HCS: public system (public) versus (vs) private insurance coverage (private). The co-primary endpoints were all-cause mortality and a composite endpoint consisting of intensive-care-unit (ICU) admission, mechanical ventilation or death (ICU-MV-D). Chi-square, Fisher´s exact test and Mann-Whitney U test were used when appropriate. We assessed the association between outcomes and HCS using logistic regression analyses, adjusting for age, sex, current anticancer treatment and comorbidities. Results: From March 16 to October 20 2020, 124 patients were identified. Of those, 90 (72%) were from the public and 34 (28%) from the private HCS. There were no statistical differences in sex, smoking, primary tumor siteand staging between patients from both HCS. Conversely, patients treated in the private system were older [66 (SD 13.8) vs 74 (SD 15.1), p=0.004], had more comorbidities (64.7% vs 37.8% p=0.009), and were on anticancer treatment more frequently (64.7% vs 34.4% p=0.004) compared to public patients. There were no differences in all-cause mortality (public 40% vs private 44.1% p=0.69) between patients treated at the different HCS. Nevertheless, in the composite outcome, private system was significantly associated with increased risk of ICU-MV-D compared to the public system (79.4% and 57.8% p=0.030, respectively). The median time from COVID-19 diagnosis to ICU-MV-D was 13 vs 8 days (p=0.031) and to death was 25 vs 24 days (p=0.24), respectively for public and private HCS patients. In the multivariable logistic regression, HCS was not associated with death [adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=1.16 p=0.75] or ICU-MV-D (aOR=0.55, p=0.27). Conclusion: While patients in the private system were older and had more comorbidities, there were no differences in inpatients all-cause mortality between private and public systems. However, private patients were associated with increased ICU-MV-D. We hypothesize that these findings may reflect disparities in ICU availability, known to be higher in the private system. Further studies investigating this hypothesis are warranted. EDR and DVA co-senior authors. Citation Format: Marina Topanotti, Larissa L. Furlan, Catarina Marchon, Pedro Amaral, Barbara C. Beneton, Luiza A. Fadul, Maria Lucia Salomao, Suzana M. Lobo, Aline F. Fares, Daniel V. Araújo, Eliza D. Ricardo. Health care disparities and outcomes of cancer patients with COVID-19: A pooled analysis of two Brazilian tertiary centers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Meeting: COVID-19 and Cancer; 2021 Feb 3-5. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2021;27(6_Suppl):Abstract nr P34.

e21523 Background: Anti-PD(L)1 agents changed the treatment landscape of multiple tumor types yielding long-term responses in a significant proportion of patients. However, these drugs are costly and not accessible to patients from most countries. Mounting data suggest that lower doses of anti-PD(L)1 can be as efficacious as label-approved doses at lower costs. Herein we compare the outcomes of patients treated with low-dose anti-PD(L)1 agents (LD) and patients treated with conventional doses (CD) at a single tertiary hospital. Methods: This is an observational historical cohort study evaluating the outcomes of patients treated with anti-PD(L)-1 agents (either at LD or CD) at Hospital de Base, São José do Rio Preto - Brazil. We included patients older than 18yo, with solid malignancies and treated with any anti-PD(L)1 agent. Patients were classified as having received LD if the dose administered at the first cycle was below the label dose. Data were abstracted from electronic medical records. Efficacy outcomes, including overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall response rate (ORR), were evaluated. Log-rank test and Chi-square or Fisher's exact test were used as appropriate. A p-value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: From January 2020 to October 2022, a total of 43 patients were included: 26 (60.4%) received LD and 17 (39.6%) received CD. The mean age of LD and CD was 66.9 (SD 14.5) and 64.8 (SD 9.7), respectively. Most patients presented with ECOG 0 or 1 (64% LD and 66% CD), had metastatic disease at treatment onset (92% LD and 94.1% CD), and were treated in the first line (50% LD and 64% CD). Most frequent tumor sites were melanoma (38.5% LD, 56.3% CD) and lung (29.9% LD, 18.8% CD). Only 23.1% and 17.6% of tumours in LD and CD were tested for PD-L1 expression, of which 83% and 33% had PD-L1 > 1. Most patients from both groups were treated with pembrolizumab (92.3% LD and 82.4% CD). The mean dose of pembrolizumab was 89.6 mg (1.5 mg/kg) for LD and 171 mg (2.1 mg/kg) for CD. After a median follow-up of 23 months, there was no significant difference in median OS (mOS), mPFS, and ORR between LD and CD (Table). A sensitivity analysis with patients receiving pembrolizumab was performed and had similar results (Table). Conclusions: Our study suggests there is no difference between patients treated with LD and CD anti-PD(L)1 in terms of OS, PFS, and ORR. The numerically shorter OS and PFS in the CD group may be due to selection bias and should be interpreted cautiously. LD anti-PD(L)1 could be an alternative to expand access in places where CD is not affordable. [Table: see text]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had enormous consequences in Brazil and worldwide. Patients with cancer affected by COVID-19 are at a higher risk of developing complications and worse outcomes compared to a non-cancer population, particularly the ones on active systemic treatment. Considering the COVID-19 high transmissibility in asymptomatic and presymptomatic patients, we sought to determine the prevalence of COVID-19 infection in patients with solid cancers receiving systemic therapy in a Brazilian public health hospital. Furthermore, we interrogated if socioeconomic status (SES) was associated with prevalence. Methods: Consecutive asymptomatic patients undergoing treatment for solid tumors at the chemotherapy and infusion center of Hospital de Base were enrolled. Patients were prospectively tested for SARS-CoV2 RNA real-time polymerase chain reaction with nasal and oropharyngeal swabs immediately prior to treatment. A socioeconomic survey was performed prior to testing. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics were summarized in means, medians, and proportions. Results: From October 6 to 13, 2020, 148 asymptomatic patients were identified. Of those, 41 were excluded (16 had hematological malignancies, 15 declined testing, 10 were not on active systemic treatment) leaving 107 eligible patients. The mean age of the population was 58 years-old (SD± 12.6); 55% were female and 90% were self-identified as White. The most common cancer sites were gastrointestinal tract (37%) and breast (25%). Most patients had metastatic disease (62.9%) and were on a anticancer treatment involving chemotherapy (62.9%). Regarding to SES, 70% of our population had either primary school or were illiterate as their highest educational level. In terms of monthly income, 88% had a personal income inferior to U$390 and 92% a household income inferior to U$585. Of 107 patients tested, only one (0.9%) was positive for COVID-19. This is a 48 years-old man living in an urban area, with primary school educational level and a monthly personal income inferior to U$390. Conclusion: Despite a high prevalence of COVID19 in Brazil, our cohort demonstrated a low prevalence of COVID19 (0.9%) amongst asymptomatic patients with cancer. We hypothesize that patients with cancer, independently of their SES, are aware of the increased risk of developing severe disease and are adherent to physical distancing, masking, and hygiene measures. LF and BB are co-senior authors Citation Format: Luiza Fadul, Barbara Benetton, Larissa Furlan, Marina Topanotti, Marcia Lanza, Mauricio Nogueira, Aline Fares, Daniel Araujo. Prevalence of COVID-19 in asymptomatic cancer patients on active systemic treatment in a public Brazilian hospital: The impact of socioeconomic status [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Meeting: COVID-19 and Cancer; 2021 Feb 3-5. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2021;27(6_Suppl):Abstract nr S12-05.