COVID-19 and Cancer: Lessons Learned From the Pandemic

OSUCCC – James experts are here to help patients and caregivers as they continue their cancer journeys amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today’s topic: Lessons to learn from the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has made masks, lengthy hand washing and physical distancing regular parts of life for millions of Americans. For cancer patients and caregivers, though, many of the recently widely adopted precautions have long been recommended to reduce the chances of infection.

While many of these safety practices will become less widespread in the future, however, oncologists like OSUCCC – James chief medical officer David Cohn, MD, MBA, hope to see the recent focus on the health of immunocompromised people remain a priority for cancer patients and non-patients alike.

“Through this unprecedented experience, we can walk away with opportunities that we can take forward when this pandemic is behind us, which will hopefully be soon,” Cohn says.

Read on as Cohn shares more lessons we can all learn from the pandemic that could help cancer patients for years to come.

The new normal

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone has learned about the importance of washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to decrease the risk of transmitting a virus or other type of infection. Also, we’ve been stressing the importance of coughing or sneezing into one’s elbow instead of the hands. People should continue to employ these precautions — as well as practicing physical distancing and remaining at home away from others when we may be sick — in order to protect cancer patients from infections (even non-COVID-related) that can lead to serious health problems.”

Telemedicine: Here to stay

“We’re using technology to deliver health care, including telephone and video visits. There are certain visits that we traditionally did face-to-face — a patient would arrive at a clinic, check in, get up to the room and be evaluated by a nurse before speaking with their provider — that we now realize can be conducted via video chats. We have really good opportunities to continue to do many types of visits through telehealth, which is a really good lesson that we’ve learned from COVID-19.”

Virtual support

“In addition to medical care, supportive care has also been made available virtually through technology. For cancer patients, there are support groups, physical therapy, genetic counseling and many other telehealth opportunities. We have a large number of programs available through JamesCare for Life that will give access to patients without requiring them to leave their homes.”

Physical distancing after the pandemic

“While we’ve always said that people should stay home when they’re sick, it’s critically important for cancer patients who are uniquely susceptible to infections of any type to avoid those who may be ill. Patients should focus on staying at home as much as possible when their oncologists have recommended controlling their environments to prevent infection.”

Food safety

“There have been a lot of conversations lately about what we can do to make food safe for immunocompromised individuals. While we’ve learned that the risk of infection from food containers is small, there are safety measures that should be consistently implemented. Cancer patients that haven’t been advised to avoid consuming fresh fruit and vegetables because of suppressed immune systems should thoroughly wash them before eating."

Stay educated

“We’re all longing to get back to a semblance of normalcy. COVID-19 is still present, but at some point, some of the safety precautions will begin to ease. Therefore, it’s important that cancer patients maintain consistent communication with their doctors to make sure they’re up-to-date on current recommendations.”

Keep talking

“For cancer caregivers and friends and relatives of patients, the most important recommendation is to focus on the wellness component of care. Physical and emotional support has never been more important, but it should remain a critical focus of patients’ loved ones after the pandemic is behind us. Many of us have become accustomed to increased communication via phone and video chats, and we can provide needed emotional support for cancer patients by continuing to utilize these methods with similar frequency in the future.”