1. Due to the highly contagious nature of COVID-19, its spread in the general public is very rapid. It is highly likely that newly diagnosed and existing patients with cancer might not get treatment on time. Additionally, mental stress about getting the infection during this infectious disease outbreak could drastically impact cancer patients' decisions to go to the hospital for follow up visits and treatment. 
2. Ethical considerations 
3. Recommended to increase the use of telemedicine in cancer care. 



Emory University

- Many cancer treatments work by suppressing rapidly-dividing cells. Note that cancer cells divide rapidly, but some healthy cells (e.g., white blood cells) also divide rapidly. Hence, the immune system weakens, making the patient more likely to get infected and experience severe COVID-19 complications.

COVID-19 and Cancer Comorbidity

Pathania, A. S., Prathipati, P., Abdul, B. A., Chava, S., Katta, S. S., Gupta, S. C., Gangula, P. R., Pandey, M. K., Durden, D. L., Byrareddy, S. N., & Challagundla, K. B. (2021). COVID-19 and Cancer Comorbidity: Therapeutic Opportunities and Challenges. Theranostics, 11(2), 731–753. https://doi.org/10.7150/thno.51471

COVID-19 and Cancer Comorbidity: Therapeutic Opportunities and Challenges

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the U.S. recommend some guidelines for cancer patients, which they consider a high-risk population, and their caregivers to protect them from COVID-19. The basic recommendations are the same as what they suggested to the general public, which includes watching out for fever (38ºC or higher), knowing the signs and symptoms of infection, cleaning your hands often, avoiding touching one's face, using a face covering, avoiding people as much as possible, and keeping a distance of at least 6 feet (2 m).

Basic Recommendation

Treatment Challenges

- This analysis aimed to compare characteristics of COVID-19 patients with and without cancer and assess whether cancer is associated with COVID-19 morbidity or mortality.
- COVID-19-positive patients with an inpatient or emergency encounter at the Mount Sinai Health System between March 1, 2020, and May 27, 2020, were included and compared across cancer status on demographics and clinical characteristics. 
- Patients with cancer were statistically significantly older, more likely to be non-Hispanic Black and to be admitted to the hospital during their encounter, and had more comorbidities than noncancer COVID-19 patients.
- COVID-19 patients with cancer may have a higher risk for adverse outcomes. Although there was no statistically significant difference in mortality, COVID-19 patients with cancer have statistically significantly higher risk of thromboembolism and sepsis.


Clinical Course of Cancer Patients With COVID-19: A Retrospective Cohort Study

- General Cancer and Radiological Treatment
- Surgical Oncology Treatment Changes

Changes to Treatment and Communication Related to Cancer in the COVID-19 Era

- This node acts as a general summary of the comorbidity of cancer and COVID-19 from a paper that analyzed many other papers detailing the same thing at its time of release.
- Via a pooled meta-analysis of studies from around the globe analyzing the prevalence of cancer in COVID-19 patients, it was found that the prevalence of cancer in COVID-19 patients is about 2%, which is higher than the overall prevalence of cancer in the population (I think).
- This leads to a hypothesized conclusion that while there is not a lot of data for COVID-19 infection and cancer patients, there is an elevated risk for these patients. However, due to inconclusive and generally lacking data on this topic, this conclusion is not concrete.
- Many major cancer centers worldwide have taken extra precaution when it comes to the treatment of these patients as many cancer treatments (e.g., chemotherapy) weaken the immune system as a side effect.
- There has currently been no order to withhold chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, or delaying adjuvant therapy to treat cancer patients, however extra care must be taken by patients and physicians alike to not allow these high-risk patients to become infected.

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