COVID-19 + CANCER FAQ Cancer doesn’t stop — not even for COVID-19 The unknowns surrounding the novel coronavirus are leaving people concerned, especially patients who suffer from weakened immune systems as a result of cancer treatment. Stay-at-home restrictions are beginning to lift in several areas across the United States, but immunosuppressed cancer patients are still at high risk of falling seriously ill from COVID-19. In a series of webinars co-hosted by the UF Health Cancer Center’s Community Outreach and Engagement office, Christopher Cogle, M.D., a UF professor of medicine; Amar Kelkar, M.D., a UF hematology and oncology fellow; Merry-Jennifer Markham, M.D., FACP, FASCO, associate director for medical affairs at the Cancer Center, provided information for cancer patients, survivors, caregivers and providers on how to best navigate cancer treatment and survivorship during the coronavirus pandemic. Here are some of their answers to COVID-19 questions cancer patients may have:
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UFHCC Cares | SUMMER 2020
What is COVID-19? How can I contract it? How can I prevent it? Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that typically cause respiratory illness. COVID-19 is caused by a novel coronavirus originating from an outbreak in Wuhan, China. COVID-19 spreads from person to person through droplets released into the air by infected individuals. These droplets can also live on surfaces for several hours to days. Other people contract the disease by breathing in the droplets or touching infected surfaces and then touching their
eyes, nose or mouth. Symptoms of this coronavirus include cough, fever, shortness of breath, muscle aches, sore throat and loss of taste or smell. Currently, there is no vaccine for COVID-19, so prevention includes washing hands frequently, staying home and wearing a mask to prevent touching your face. To learn more about COVID-19, check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s fact sheet.
Is it safe to delay my cancer screening test or risk-reducing surgery if I have a hereditary cancer syndrome? How long is it safe to delay? For patients with an increased risk of cancer due to a hereditary syndrome, the safety of delaying a cancer screening or a risk-reducing surgery depends on the individual patient and their medical history. Patients and their doctors must weigh the risks associated with not delaying — the risk of becoming very ill with COVID-19 if exposed
during a health care visit versus the risk of cancer being diagnosed through a screening test. It is unknown how long is it safe to delay preventive cancer surgery. However, it is important to note that your doctor will only suggest delaying screening or surgery if it is safe for you to do so.