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We reflect on the past 10 months of clinical activity in oncology in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic and suggest how services can be protected during subsequent waves of infection.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted health care worldwide. Patients with cancer seem to be particularly susceptible to morbidities and mortality from this novel disease. No COVID-19-specific therapy currently seems to offer a survival benefit to this unique patient population. Furthermore, the global effects on routine cancer care will likely be felt for decades to come.
Single-arm phase II trials can provide compelling results that facilitate the approval of a new therapy. Designing and interpreting single-arm studies based on four principles — instinct, comparative analysis, statistical soundness and like-for-like comparisons — can provide indications as to which drugs are most likely to provide improved therapeutic options for patients.