Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has generated a pandemic which has required significant adjustments in health systems across the globe, both at the hospital and outpatient levels.
For chronic non-communicable diseases, such as cancer, this pandemic has had important repercussions, especially at the primary care level. Comprehensive cancer management has been affected, including early detection, treatment, control and the monitoring of patients. There has been a significant decrease worldwide in the number of digestive diagnostic proce¬dures, imaging, cytological studies, surgical and systemic treatment, as well as oncologic visits.
Several organizations have gathered information about this and projected figures on how the decrease in timely diagnosis or the delay and / or interruption of treatment will lead to an in¬crease in morbidity and mortality. For this reason, they have guidelines to minimize the risk of contagion by coronavirus, to resume the level of care as soon as possible.
The objective of this review is to estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the routi¬ne management of patients with oncological pathologies, which will make it possible to mea¬sure its effect, as well as to develop a multidisciplinary plan for adjusting the comprehensive management of cancer patients.
Miranda-Olivares, J. P., Lira-Correa, M. T., Bermúdez-Valenzuela, J., & Celedón-Porzio, F. (2021). Impact of the coronavirus pandemic (SARS-CoV-2) on the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of cancer patients. Revista Chilena De Salud Pública, 25(1), p. 96–104. https://doi.org/10.5354/0719-5281.2021.65200
