Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2026

Retrospective audit of oncology and haematology patients requiring hospital admission to Western Health with COVID/Influenza/Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infection over a three-year period (144471)

Oliver OZ Zhang 1 , Erin EP Pearson 1 , Grace GG Gard 1 , Sally SG Greenberg 1
  1. Western Health, St Albans, VICTORIA, Australia

Background: Respiratory viral infections cause substantial morbidity and mortality in Oncology and Haematology patients, including in cancer survivors years after treatment [1,2]. COVID-19 and influenza vaccination provides well-established individual, population and economic benefits [3,4,5], but uptake and resource utilization in this population is poorly described.

 

Methods: A retrospective audit reviewing patients admitted under Oncology and Haematology inpatient units at Sunshine Hospital with COVID, Influenza or Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) between 01/01/2022 – 01/01/2025. Patient demographics, tumour stream, treatment and admission factors were collected from electronic records.

 

Results: Across 183 admissions, median age was 68, 51% male. Viral diagnosis: COVID 80.9%, 11.5% influenza, 7.7% RSV. Of 68 (37%) with vaccination data, 100% received prior COVID vaccination, 60.3% had yearly influenza vaccination, no patient had RSV vaccination.   

 

Most common oncological diagnoses were haematology (37.7%), lung (19.1%), breast (18.0%). 141 (77.0%) patients were on active therapy (systemic and/or radiotherapy), 39 (21.3%) not on treatment. Treatment intent was 94 (51.4%) palliative, 71 (38.8%) curative, 18 (9.8%) unclear.  

 

Within 157 ward admissions, median length of stay (LOS) was 4 days. 31 (19.7%) required readmission within 30 days, 64 (40.8%) required supplemental oxygen, 8 (5.1%) required ICU admission. Allied health involvement was across physiotherapy 61 (38.8%), occupational therapy 47 (29.9%), social work 32 (20.4%), dietetics 40 (25.5%). After admission, 49 (31.2%) had treatment delayed, 30 (19.1%) had treatment ceased. A weak positive correlation exists between age and LOS (correlation coefficient 0.24), age and physiotherapy (0.26), age and occupational therapy (0.24). 

 

Discussion/Conclusion: Respiratory viral infections, particularly COVID-19 are common in cancer patients. Admissions resulted in delays or cessation of cancer related therapy. Rates of influenza and RSV vaccination were poor, representing a targetable population for intervention. As a result of this study, vaccinations are now being offered direct to patients through the Sunshine Hospital Chemotherapy Day Unit.

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  2. 2. Andresen K, Carreira H, Jain R, et al. Associations between cancer survivorship and subsequent respiratory disease: a systematic literature review. BMJ Open Respir Res. . 2025;12(1). doi:10.1136/bmjresp-2024-002681
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  4. 4. Bitterman R, Eliakim-Raz N, Vinograd I, Zalmanovici Trestioreanu A, Leibovici L, Paul M. Influenza vaccines in immunosuppressed adults with cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. . 20182doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008983.pub3
  5. 5. Hirsch C, Zorger AM, Baumann M, et al. Vaccines for preventing infections in adults with solid tumours. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. . 20254doi:10.1002/14651858.CD015551.pub2