COVID-19 and Oncology: Service transformation during pandemic

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged healthcare systems around the world, where resources have refocused on increasing critical bed capacity to prepare for the peak in incidence of COVID-19. Oncology faces an unprecedented challenge as patients require multidisciplinary care and are more likely to be immunosuppressed. Services in oncology have been transformed using minimal resources over a short period of time. This transformation continues and telemedicine is playing a key role.

Aims: We explore how services in oncology have transformed to deliver services including consultations, systemic anticancer therapy, and surgery for patients, while shielding them from contracting COVID-19. We assess the risks and benefits of the service transformation in the immediate, interim, and long term, and how telemedicine supports the process.

Methods: We performed a comprehensive review of the literature using suitable keywords on the search engines of PubMed, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, and latest official data from May to June 2020.

Results: Through the published literature on this topic, we discuss the transformations in oncology and the impact on patients and healthcare workers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We reflect on the lessions from COVID-19 and assess the role of telemedicine in the future of oncology services.

Conclusion: Transformation of services in oncology effectively shields patients from COVID-19 infections, and telemedicine plays a role in virtual consultations. The long-term effects are yet to be seen, such as safety of home-based treatment, and effectiveness of virtual communication on patient care. As oncology requires a multidisciplinary approach, telemedicine will play a key role to improve patient-centered cancer care in the future.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; chemotherapy; oncology service; systemic anticancer therapy; telemedicine.