FEATURED SPEAKER - Cancer in the era of Covid-19, Public health perspectives

The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled oncology practices to hit the “reset” button for their care delivery model. Cancer is a Global burden projected to increase to 27 million by 2040 due to population growth, aging population and risk factors. Patients with cancer are one of the most affected groups by the pandemic because they are immunocompromised and require frequent admission to the hospital. There is significant interruption in delivering of care and the incident of cancer diagnoses may increase during and after pandemic due to halted screening. Accumulating data suggest that the likelihood of a severe illness and death from COVID-19 is higher among adult patients with cancer hematologic malignancies. Psychological impact on patients and staff is huge and communication, remote care and e-health are key. Balancing the risks of delaying cancer treatments versus the risks for SARS CoV-2 exposure is challenging during the pandemic as guidelines are constantly changing. Cancer research should be prioritized and funded and innovations in COVID and cancer testing, and screening technologies are needed. Clinicians should proactively discuss goals of care and advance care planning, especially for those with advanced cancer who are at elevated risk for COVID-19. In summary, cancer patients represent a special situation during this pandemic and a tiered approach to testing could help provide them with life-saving chemotherapy without jeopardizing their chances of benefit.

Learning Objectives:

• How COVID 19 reshaped the global oncology model
• Understand the areas of focus within healthcare systems during the pandemic, and how it relates to cancer patients.