COVID-19: global consequences for oncology

Quality of life of cancer patients during coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pandemic

“…2 During the pandemic period cancer patients are faced with a serious dilemma, since staying at home could increase the tumor progression, while visiting the hospital for cancer treatment could increase the COVID-19 infection risk. 3 This study aims to assess the quality of life of cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

Cancer care during and after the pandemic

“…Secondly, the focus must be on safe delivery of treatment 2. Known risks for poor outcomes from covid-19 have driven the development of guidelines and altered cancer treatment protocols (including adoption of routine covid-19 safety measures and screening) 1112.…”

“…The covid-19 pandemic has had a drastic effect on the entire cancer continuum through interruption, delays, and altered modes of screening, diagnosis, and treatment as well as follow-up and palliative care 12…”

“…Even these countries had to reorganise their cancer services, but cancer care has been hardest hit in badly affected countries such as the UK, with potentially greater effects on cancer outcomes 4. Now we must focus efforts on the rapid recovery of services, using lessons from this adversity to improve and redesign care across the entire cancer continuum 2…”

Rare SARS-CoV-2 antibody development in cancer patients

“…Nevertheless, measures are made to counter and minimize the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe complications. Due to this reason, adjuvant chemotherapies, surgeries and other compromising therapies were eventually postponed or changed 9 . As the symptoms and course of COVID-19 vary broadly, tests by nasopharyngeal or throat swabs were recently also taken from asymptomatic patients to identify virus carriers.…”