Telemedicine and Cancer Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

• Authors: Kavita Yadav, Nehru University; Ophira Ginsburg, NYU Grossman School of Medicine; Partha Basu, World Health Organization; Ravi Mehrotra, Emory University
• Journal Title: Jco Global Oncology
• Volume: Volume 7
• Publisher: American Society of Clinical Oncology | 2021-12-03
• Type of Work: Article | Final Publisher PDF
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1200/GO.21.00249
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Oncology; Health Sciences, Public Health
• Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; pandemic; LMICs

Abstract

The multifaceted impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has stretched health services to a great extent, and cancer care is not an exception. With the imposition of lockdowns and movement restrictions in most countries, all aspects of cancer care, including screening, diagnosis, treatment, palliative care, and follow-up, have been compromised because of the pandemic. Curtailment of regular clinical activities because of the lockdowns has not only created a backlog of patients with cancer needing immediate care but has also affected the supply chain of anticancer drugs, delayed essential surgeries, and disrupted the therapy protocols. Cancer is emerging as an important comorbidity associated with a high rate of intensive care admissions following infection with SARS-CoV-2. Hence, cancer care is further complicated because of the vulnerability of patients with cancer to SARS-CoV-2, during and after treatment. The pandemic has also taken a heavy toll on the mental health of patients with cancer and their caregivers, as reported by Ng et al.