Literature DB >> 32536557

COVID-19 Pandemic and Nationwide Lockdown - Implications of the Double Trouble on Radiotherapy Practice in India.

N Mummudi1, S Ghosh-Laskar1, A Tibdewal1, J P Agarwal1.   

Abstract

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Year:  2020        PMID: 32536557      PMCID: PMC7280101          DOI: 10.1016/j.clon.2020.06.004

Source DB:  PubMed          Journal:  Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol)        ISSN: 0936-6555            Impact factor:   4.126


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Madam — We read with interest the Editorial by Tan et al. [1] on the challenges faced by a radiotherapy department and measures taken to mitigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. The problems of a large population, resource constraints and an uneven distribution of cancer care facilities in urban and rural areas, compounded by the nationwide lockdown, have led to a huge challenge for patients seeking oncology care in India. The lockdown has also resulted in significant collateral damage; cancer patients faced a fresh ordeal of delayed access to cancer care due to restricted public transport facilities. We conducted two online surveys among radiation oncologists across the country. There were 125 respondents to the first survey, which was conducted a week after the lockdown. Few oncologists (17%) withheld starting radiotherapy for new patients, due to hospital administrative policy (13%), staff reluctance to treat (3%) and patient's refusal to come for treatment (2%). In a follow-up survey conducted a month later, 61 oncologists participated. When given a scenario of an untested asymptomatic patient, the predominant response was to start radiotherapy as usual in category 1 and delay radiotherapy in category 2 and 3 patients [2,3]. In an untested symptomatic patient, most chose testing first regardless of category. In COVID-19-positive asymptomatic or symptomatic patients, the overwhelming response was to delay radiotherapy until a negative test in all categories. As the pandemic evolves, it is clear that the current scenario will probably persist for a few more months, if not longer. We need to accept the fact that eventually we may have to regularly treat COVID-19-positive cancer patients with radiotherapy and not compromise their outcomes by withholding treatment. During these challenging times, we need not re-learn newer paradigms, as principles of radiotherapy remain the same. The need of the hour, rather, is to continually improve and improvise our infrastructure, so that we can increase the confidence of the health care worker to provide the optimal cancer treatment without endangering their health and safety.

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
  2 in total

Review 1.  Covid-19 and radiotherapy: a systematic review after 2 years of pandemic.

Authors:  Antonio Piras; Valeria Venuti; Andrea D'Aviero; Davide Cusumano; Stefano Pergolizzi; Antonino Daidone; Luca Boldrini
Journal:  Clin Transl Imaging       Date:  2022-07-23

2.  Cancer During the Coronavirus Pandemic - As if One Problem Was Not Enough!

Authors:  N Patni; A Hota; A Patni; P Misra
Journal:  Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol)       Date:  2020-10-20       Impact factor: 4.126

  2 in total

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