Several oncology societies and national authorities have issued guidelines on how to manage cancer care during the international coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, according to a recent article published in The Lancet Oncology.
These organizations produced guidelines at a time where there is worldwide fear that the COVID-19 pandemic will overwhelm nations’ healthcare systems, resulting in further complications for patients in need of cancer care. A shortage of ventilators is seen across the globe, and with operating theaters being turning into intensive care units to treat patients with COVID-19, the need for guidelines and clarity is even greater.
“The pandemic poses several challenges for oncology services,” wrote study author Talha Khan Burki. “Caregivers have to think about how to minimize their patients’ exposure to health-care facilities.”
One…