Appropriate arrangement of cancer treatment after COVID-19 epidemic peaks in China

J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2020 Oct;146(10):2717-2718. doi: 10.1007/s00432-020-03275-x. Epub 2020 May 30.

Abstract

Purpose: COVID-19 is causing a lot of problems in health services around the world, especially in medical institutions receiving cancer patients. On March 12, China's National Health Commission announced that the peak of the COVID-19 epidemic has passed in China. Thus, a proper arrangement of medication, surgery and radiotherapy for patients with cancer is of vital importance after the epidemic peak.

Methods: A range of measures have been implemented in our center. Specific patients take priority for chemotherapy treatment. The amount of semi-elective and elective surgeries could be gradually increased beyond urgent and emergency surgery. The hypofractionated radiotherapy is recommended in the right circumstances.

Results: On March 13, our center announced that more than 5000 visits of chemotherapy and radiotherapy are arranged in our outpatient clinics and none of our patients and staffs have been diagnosed with COVID-19 as of March 28, 2020.

Conclusion: The rational arrangement we make now may be helpful to the future restoration of cancer treatments in other countries.

Keywords: COVID-19; Chemotherapy; Patient arrangement; Radiotherapy; Surgery.

Publication types

  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus*
  • COVID-19
  • China / epidemiology
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Crisis Intervention*
  • Delivery of Health Care*
  • Disease Management
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms / epidemiology*
  • Neoplasms / therapy
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
  • SARS-CoV-2