Covid-19 & Cancer

Cancer patients, doctors and health workers are equally vulnerable to the pandemic. Follow these dos and don'ts

- Dr. Bhawna Sirohi

DESPITE many advances and breakthroughs, cancer still strikes fear in most of us. Every cancer patient is worried, stressed, anxious and has one question on their minds – will my treatment be compromised by the current circumstances? Very likely, it will. But given the risks associated with the COVID-19 infection in immune-compromised patients, those with co-morbidities and with advanced age, it would be sensible to delay any further treatment that will compromise the immune system further. None of us knows how long the risks are going to last, so I am going to discuss some practical considerations.

Questions I am being asked are: If you delay my chemotherapy, will I still be cured? Will my cancer spread if you delay surgery? Will my cure rate go down? Will my cancer come back? These are valid questions from patients who are already under tremendous stress because of their diagnosis, treatments and side-effects and multiple hospital visits.

Cancer patients on treatments do have to visit the hospital multiple times for various reasons: blood tests, physiotherapy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, flushing of lines, removal of infusion pumps and to receive supportive care injections. Some of these can be done at home but in these trying times of limited public facilities to travel, this is near-impossible. Moreover, any contact with a healthcare worker is the biggest risk factor. These issues need to be addressed individually with a shared decision-making model between the patient, family and the oncologist. These questions are affecting patients physically, psychologically, emotionally and financially. All our lives will have to be readjusted in the coming months. One size will not fit all!