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How does coronavirus affect an oncology patient?

The situation that we are experiencing right now in Spain and in the rest of the world with the coronavirus affects us all, but especially a part of the population that, due to age or health, is more vulnerable to the virus. A significant number of HC Marbella patients are within this risk population, such as cancer patients.

 

During the last weeks we have received numerous calls with doubts about how the virus affects these patients and what protective measures they should take. From our Oncology Unit these questions are clarified for us.
 
 

How does COVID 19 affect the cancer patient?

So far, there are no data on the behavior of the virus in individuals with primary or secondary immunodeficiencies (such as patients receiving immunosuppressive drugs), nor is there evidence that the virus worsens the tumor pathology itself and in many cases has a mild clinical course

 

However, all patients on active treatment and those with active disease are considered immunosuppressed, therefore they are a risk population and we must take extreme precautions to avoid contact. In addition, in case of confirmed or suspected infection, an immediate assessment is necessary.

 
 

Should they have special measures apart from those recommended by the Ministry of Health?

The precautions these immunosuppressed patients must take to avoid becoming infected with the new coronavirus are the same as those recommended by the Ministry of Health for the general population.

 
 

 
 

How do I know if I am affected?

In the event of the appearance of alarm symptoms (cough, fever), it is necessary to contact the oncologist, preferably by telephone, who will decide whether a confirmatory test is necessary or initiate measures with simple suspicion.

 
 

Do you need to go to the consultations or can you make them by phone? ?

Es necesario acudir personalmente a las consultas previas a los tratamientos y a las de valoración de toxicidad, además de las primeras visitas. Las revisiones pueden ser retrasadas o realizadas por vía telefónica o telemática.

 
 

What if I have surgery scheduled? Is it safe to do it now?

According to general recommendations, only oncological surgeries are maintained, those that are necessary for oncological treatment and urgent ones.

 
 

Can the patient continue his cancer treatment during the alarm state?

? In most cases cancer treatments such as chemotherapy or immunotherapy should continue. Doctors will assess each case individually.

 
 

Dr. Alejandro Riquelme, oncologist
Alba Mª Rodríguez, oncology nurse

 

 

March 24, 2020

 

 

 

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