2022 World Conference on Lung Cancer (ePosters)-EP06.01-003. Impact of COVID-19 on Lung Cancer Patients; The Patients' Perspective

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The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on lung cancer patients was evaluated from their perspective in this study conducted at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Canada. The pandemic caused delays and disruptions in cancer care, raising concerns among patients about possible treatment delays and disease progression. These concerns increased stressors on patients, negatively impacting their emotional and mental health. However, despite these concerns, none of the patients surveyed changed their cancer treatment plan due to COVID-19 concerns. <br /><br />Virtual care became the primary method of interacting with healthcare professionals during the pandemic for oncology patients, including those with lung cancer. A total of 68% of the surveyed patients had experienced virtual care during the pandemic and were satisfied with this transition. Only two out of 54 patients tested positive for COVID-19, and one patient had to delay palliative treatment. <br /><br />The study acknowledged its limitations, such as the small cohort size and the evaluation during the second wave of the pandemic at a single cancer center, which may limit the generalizability of the results. However, the findings suggest that lung cancer patients were comfortable with the transition to virtual care and that treatment plans were not altered in this cohort. <br /><br />In the future, it is suggested that oncology care can be delivered in a hybrid model with both in-person and virtual care. Further studies are needed to compare lung cancer patients to the surveyed patients and to evaluate a larger cohort across different disease sites with longer follow-up. <br /><br />Overall, the study provides insight into the impact of the pandemic on lung cancer patients and highlights the importance of continuity of care and the potential for virtual care in the post-pandemic era.

Asset Subtitle

Desiree Hao

Meta Tag

Speaker Desiree Hao

Topic Management of Lung Cancer in the Era of COVID-22

Keywords

COVID-19 pandemic

lung cancer patients

Tom Baker Cancer Centre

cancer care disruptions

treatment delays

disease progression

emotional health

mental health

virtual care

oncology patients