COVID 19 pandemic and cancer treatment: experience at a tertiary care centre

Authors

  • Abhishek Pathak Department of Medical Oncology, Command Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
  • Anvesh Rathore Department of Medical Oncology, Army Hospital (Research and Referral), Delhi, India
  • Rajan Kapoor Department of Medical Oncology, Command Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
  • Subhash Ranjan Department of Medical Oncology, Command Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
  • Alpana Gupta Department of Transfusion Centre, Command Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-3933.ijam20202584

Keywords:

Chemotherapy, COVID 19, Day care, Pandemic

Abstract

Background: In these era COVID Pandemic patients are missing their chemotherapy due to multiple reasons. This study was undertaken to quantify the exact number of patients who had missed their appointment for chemotherapy.

Methods: All patients who had appointments for chemotherapy from 20th Mar to 20th Apr were included in the study. Details of malignancies, chemotherapy, duration of delay in patients coming for chemotherapy to be recorded.

Results: The total number appointments given for chemotherapy for various malignancies were 301 patients for various malignancies for the duration 20th March to 20th April. The total number of appointments given were 301. Out of the total of 301 patients who had appointment for chemotherapy during this period 131 patients could be given chemotherapy and 170 could not be given chemotherapy. The average delay was of 9 days. The data was distributed into four weeks from 20th March to 20th April. Just before the country wide lock down in first week 20th, 70 patients receiving chemotherapy which drastically reduced in later weeks. Both the cases who could come for chemotherapy and those who could not have been kept under follow up, up to 6 months to reassess their response.

Conclusions: This article has been written to highlight the number of patients who could not receive chemotherapy due to ongoing Pandemic with an intention to follow them up for 6 months. Since this pandemic is here to stay it is very important that formulate the working principle for administering chemotherapy.

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Published

2020-06-22

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Section

Original Research Articles