COVID-19 in Thoracic Oncology Patients-Supplemental Information

Supplemental Information

Pdf Summary

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unique challenges for patients, healthcare professionals, and healthcare systems. To address the specific needs of breast cancer patients during this time, a group of experts in breast disease management formed the COVID-19 Pandemic Breast Cancer Consortium and provided preliminary recommendations for the triage and treatment of these patients. <br /><br />The recommendations are categorized into three priority levels based on the patient's condition. Priority A involves immediate, life-threatening situations or clinically unstable conditions. Priority B refers to noncritical situations that could potentially impact overall outcomes if delayed beyond 6-8 weeks. Priority C includes stable patients whose treatment and services can be postponed for the duration of the pandemic. <br /><br />The recommendations cover various aspects, including outpatient visits, imaging, surgical oncology, medical oncology, and radiation oncology. Key considerations include the use of telemedicine visits for noncritical and follow-up appointments, deferral of routine screening mammograms, and modification of chemotherapy schedules to reduce clinical visits. The recommendations also address the administration of adjuvant treatments, adjusting treatment dosing or scheduling, and prioritizing radiation therapy based on risk factors and individual patient situations.<br /><br />It is important to note that these recommendations are meant to guide healthcare professionals and institutions and should be considered alongside institutional policies, guidelines, and available resources. The recommendations may also be subject to change as the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic evolves. <br /><br />Overall, these recommendations aim to provide guidance for prioritizing and managing breast cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic while considering individual patient needs and the resources available within each healthcare institution. The executive summary provides a concise overview of these recommendations, and urgent questions related to breast cancer treatment during this time can be directed to the authors listed.

Keywords

COVID-19 pandemic

breast cancer patients

breast disease management

COVID-19 Pandemic Breast Cancer Consortium

triage and treatment

priority levels

telemedicine visits

screening mammograms

chemotherapy schedules

radiation therapy