Details
Activity Description / Statement of Need: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to unprecedented changes in health care delivery worldwide, affecting the way that nearly every medical specialty can safely practice. As with other fields of medicine, oncology has its own challenges in navigating the pandemic. Based on pre-pandemic estimates, 1.8 million new cancer diagnoses would be expected in 2020, equating to approximately 5,000 new cancer diagnoses per day. Evidence thus far suggests that COVID-19 is associated with significantly more complications and a higher risk of death in patients with cancer or with a history of cancer. Furthermore, patients with cancer have also been shown to have a higher COVID-19 infection rate than the general population, suggesting increased susceptibility, potentially due to immunosuppression, comorbidities, or poor health status related to cancer or its treatment. Based on these data, oncology specialists are said to be fighting “a war on two fronts” by balancing the risks of COVID-19 transmission and acquisition with the risks of delayed cancer diagnosis and treatment. This represents an unmet need among oncology practitioners as they navigate this new health care landscape.
Target Audience:
Healthcare professionals, including medical oncologists; radiation oncologists; surgical oncologists; surgeons; radiologists; nuclear medicine specialists; nurse practitioners and physician assistants who practice in oncology; and other healthcare providers who manage cancer.
By the end of the session the participant will be able to:
- Recall the symptoms of COVID-19 infection and best practices for screening patients, health care providers, and staff in the oncology setting.
- Develop a plan to provide oncology care in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Describe the risks of delaying cancer diagnosis and treatment against the risk of COVID-19 exposure and infection.