Safety Measures During COVID-19
- Women with ovarian cancer may be at increased risk for infection
- Health care providers are taking extra precautions to ensure patient safety – such as wearing masks and washing hands frequently
- They are also limiting visitors and patients, and using telemedicine whenever possible
Rather than putting off treatment, doctors around the country are tailoring their treatment plans to reduce the risk of infection. This includes looking at each patient's case individually, and making the decision that's best for them long-term, so that they're comfortable with their care and their cancer is still being treated appropriately.
Read MoreWhy Cancer Patients Are at Higher Risk
Both patients and doctors have been hesitant to spend any more time in the medical setting than is necessary during the coronavirus pandemic. People with cancer who are undergoing treatment have even more reason to be nervous. Getting surgery in a hospital or going to a chemotherapy infusion center increases the risk of being exposed to the coronavirus. "A lot of the treatments that are provided to cancer patients can increase the risk of having infections or having complications associated with severe infections like COVID," says Dr. Reese. Chemotherapy is one treatment that can weaken the immune system, leaving people who receive it more vulnerable to infection.On the other hand, it’s crucial not to put off treatment, since ovarian cancer is serious, and it can grow quite aggressively. "If ovarian cancer is left untreated, it is universally fatal," says Dr. Reese. "If caught early enough, then we have an opportunity to cure it."
Taking Safety Precautions
Dr. Reese and other providers at Intermountain Healthcare are doing everything possible to ensure the safety of both their patients and health care providers. For example, patients are being screened before coming to their appointment, to confirm that they are not experiencing any COVID symptoms. "That’s both to protect the individuals, but also to protect anybody else that might be coming into the clinic," he adds.
In addition, all health care providersincluding doctors and nurses who are administering treatmentsare wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and washing and sanitizing their hands between each patient encounter to help minimize the exposure risk.
"We’ve also tried to limit the number of non-cancer patients, meaning family members that may be coming in to help support an individual while they’re getting therapy, to try and decrease exposure to patients,” he says. “We’re trying to do everything we can, because we understand that there is already an increased risk for our patients."
Tailoring Treatment During COVID-19
Some doctors are choosing to postpone surgery and treat patients with chemotherapy first (called neoadjuvant chemotherapy), or to replace intravenous chemotherapy with oral anti-cancer drugs such as PARP inhibitors. The idea is to minimize possible exposure to the coronavirus, while still providing appropriate cancer care.
Another way that hospitals and medical clinics have adapted to COVID-19 is by scheduling telemedicine check-ins rather than in-person visits whenever possible. For instance, women who are in remission and being monitored can connect with their doctor through teleconferencing, which allows doctors to get a sense of their health status and general well-being. During these virtual visits, women can share any symptoms or concerns in a safe, socially distanced way.
Though the telehealth approach eliminates the risk of infection, doctors caution that it can’t completely replace in-person visits, especially when blood tests and imaging scans are required.
COVID-19 has impacted nearly every aspect of our lives, including our health and medical care. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't receive treatment for ovarian cancer. "If you’re having symptoms that are concerning, you should seek medical advice, because the earlier [ovarian cancer] is caught, the higher the likelihood of a cure," says Dr. Reese. "We don’t want to delay the appropriate treatment and miss that opportunity for a cure because of COVID-19."
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