Provision of cancer care during the COVID-19 pandemic

Nat Rev Clin Oncol. 2020 Jun;17(6):329-331. doi: 10.1038/s41571-020-0370-6.

Abstract

Health-care services are rapidly transforming their organization and workforce in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. These changes, and a desire to mitigate infection risk, are having profound effects on other vital aspects of care, including the care of patients with cancer. Difficult decisions are being made regarding the prioritization of both active treatments and palliative care, despite limited evidence that cancer is an independent risk factor for infection and mortality.

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus / isolation & purification
  • Betacoronavirus / pathogenicity
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / complications
  • Coronavirus Infections / mortality*
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology
  • Death
  • Disease Management*
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms / complications
  • Neoplasms / mortality*
  • Neoplasms / virology
  • Palliative Care*
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / complications
  • Pneumonia, Viral / mortality*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology
  • Risk Factors
  • SARS-CoV-2