Dr Manish Singhal - The best Cancer Specialist in Delhi
7 steps for better care of Head & Neck cancer patients amidst Covid-19
COVID-19, the global pandemic, has reached peak severity, thereby endangering and exposing cancer patients to furthermore complications and vulnerabilities. Cancer patients and other patients with a medical history are at a comparatively higher risk compared to other people. Best Cancer Doctors in Delhi NCR are taking extra precautions to continue helping head and neck cancer patients in a safe environment and avoid infection. Read below to find a curated list of 7 steps that cancer doctors and head and neck cancer patients should follow during these troubling times.
Omit Systemic therapy
Systemic therapy should not be utilized for patients aged above 70 or younger patients who have other medical conditions and co-morbidities like cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and diabetes. Any form of therapy should be avoided during such trying times, which may affect the immune system of a head and neck cancer patient. As the virus causes extremities and complications due to a weakened immune system, systemic therapy should be avoided as much as possible.
Omit Cisplatin-based Induction Therapy
There is no definite benefit that has been proved in terms of the overall survival rate with the incorporation of induction chemotherapy compared to standard (C)RT in clinical trials. Most Head and Neck Cancer Doctors in Noida are recommending to omit Cisplatin-based induction therapy to minimize patient visits and occurrence of complications or side-effects.
Cut down the total treatment duration
Cancer centers should cut down on the overall treatment time of cancer patients. Definitive (C)RT should only be open to SIB (simultaneous integrated boost) techniques under the primarily decided schedule. This means that it should be shortened to 5 fractions a week and not 6. This can help cancer centers achieve a total of 1-week treatment reduction duration compared to the conventional one so that the patients can not only stay safe and secure at home but also follow the protocol measures.
Delay post-operative RT
Furthermore, medical centers should delay postoperative RT in patients suffering from salivary gland tumors for up to 12 weeks after the surgery. One of the most crucial ways through which the virus is spreading is the mere fact that people are out in the open despite the lockdown. Although cancer treatment is extremely critical, patients with less severe cancer stages can avoid becoming infected with the virus by staying indoors. This is where delaying the post-operative RT comes handy.
Design a virtual surveillance plan
Educating your patients is extremely indispensable. Ensure that your head and neck cancer patients are aware of the complications of their cancer. Design a surveillance plan for doing so. Patients should know the symptoms and signs of different cancer stages, so they know when to seek help. The primary symptoms include enhanced local pain, trouble swallowing, the formation of a new lump in the neck or head region, and unexplained weight loss. You must visit the best cancer doctor in Delhi NCR to seek help if you encounter any of these symptoms.
Inform patients about the potential symptoms of coronavirus
The COVID-19 virus spreads at an exceedingly fast rate. If a cancer patient is infected by it, they may experience severe symptoms, even death. Knowing the common signs and symptoms of the virus will help patients detect it soon if they’re infected by the virus. A few of the common symptoms of the virus include shortness of breath, fatigue, fever, diarrhea, nausea, etc. Patients experiencing any of these symptoms should contact medical professionals immediately.
Provide psychological care
Lastly, psychological care is quite a necessity at the moment. Cancer patients may or may not experience severe trauma and other mental, financial, logistical, social, and physical issues. Patients are more vulnerable than ever due to which psychological therapy can help them heal mentally and physically. Patients are even feeling highly depressed and anxious. Offering them emotional support and therapy can help them boost their self-esteem.
Dr. Manish Singhal is a reputed cancer specialist in Delhi NCR. Along with being the best oncologist in Delhi, he offers several solutions to help head and neck cancer patients heal physically and mentally. A few of the solutions he offers include adjuvant therapy, curative treatment, palliative treatment, and infection prevention therapy. Every head and neck cancer patient experiencing potential symptoms of the virus should instantly seek help so that the patient has a mitigated risk of further damage.
