On 27th March, 2020 PatientsEngage spoke with Dr. Vinay Deshmane, Consultant in Surgical Oncology & Breast Diseases and Medical Director and Jnt. Hon secretary of the Indian Cancer Society on the challenges faced by cancer patients during the lockdown period.
Here are the key points from the webinar. Click here to listen to the entire webinar.
- Cancer treatment should be continued in consultation with your Oncologist because cessation of treatment can lead to
- Stage migration which is progression of disease into the next advanced stage.
- Ineffectiveness of current chemotherapy.
- Unfortunately, most cancer surgeries are considered elective but in fact they should come under the semi-emergency category because a tumor continues to grow if not operated on in time.
- A patient can go through their treatment during this corona virus pandemic. All patients undergoing cancer treatment (chemotherapy, radiation etc.) do not have their immunity compromised. There are certain phases during which the immune system is more vulnerable, and patients are counselled on how to take care of themselves during the treatment period. So, the same precautions that they would take normally have to be followed now. Radiation does not affect the immunity unless it is given in the abdominal area.
- Social distancing should be practiced by patients and their family members in their neighbourhood and when visiting the hospital.
- Simple precautions a patient undergoing Chemotherapy should take:
- On returning home after every Chemo session, remove shoes outside the house and wipe them before bringing them in.
- Go straight to the bathroom, wash yourself thoroughly and change into new clothes.
- Put everything for wash preferably in Dettol or any antiseptic solution.
- Wipe down every accessory you have worn or carried such as belt, wallet, purse, file etc.
- Keep things that you are taking outdoors frequently (footwear, umbrella, keys, bag etc.) by the door and don’t bring them into the house.
- Drink boiled water.
- Eat homemade hot meals. Avoid spicy or oily foods and eat in moderate quantities.
- Transportation solutions:
- Find a Chemo treatment center/hospital closer to home so that it is easier to commute to and will minimize your risks.
- Avoid using public transportation.
- Missing or delaying of a Chemo cycle by about 3-4 weeks is not a big deal.
- Your doctor can provide you with a letter that you can show the traffic police as this comes under essential services.
- If any healthcare provider has been tested positive in your treating hospital, they will be quarantined and replaced. Nonetheless, make sure to always practice social distancing and barrier nursing because we know that many carriers of this virus are asymptomatic.
- Make sure you know and can differentiate between COVID and other illnesses or side-effects of your treatment. Dry cough is however, a very common symptom for various ailments including allergies. If you do suspect that you may be infected, your doctor can give you a prescription to get a nasal swab testing done by a private lab.
- Everyone should have a Family Practitioner. If you don’t, now is the time to connect with one. If you have any bothersome symptoms, run it by your Family doctor before rushing to the hospital.
- If you need homecare nursing, here is a list of some service providers. (insert link)
- Minimise follow-up visits. Today, it is possible to do phone and video consultations. Ask your Oncologist on how to go about it.
- For those who have been newly diagnosed, speak to your Oncologist if your treatment can wait. In certain cases, oral drugs can be started, and these allow a window period of delay. If a surgery is indicated, your medical team will have to take the decision of when to operate. If your doctor has decided to wait, understand and accept the hospital’s limitations in the current lockdown scenario. Avoid any travel for treatment unless approved by your doctor.
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