Cancer and COVID: How are life-threatening diagnoses being handled during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Cancellations. Restrictions. Office Closures.
All these things have reached an all-time high as our country battles the Coronavirus pandemic. Now is a time, more than ever, to fear getting a diagnosis that requires further workup, surgery, etc. The surgeon general has canceled all elective procedures. Hospitals have implemented restrictions on imaging and testing that can be completed. Specialty offices are closing, while their staff is being redeployed to the front lines. These are just a few of the hurdles that healthcare organizations and patients must jump over during this time. So, how are life-threatening diseases, such as cancer, being handled?
A suspicion of cancer requires imaging, lab work, and ancillary testing be done to reach a proper diagnosis. With all the current limitations, many patients are unable to obtain these necessary tests so that their physicians can appropriately diagnose them and determine treatment. Cancer treatment options include: chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. Surgeons are restricted and cannot operate on all their patients, while chemotherapy infusion centers are limiting the number of patients in their facilities. With all these restrictions in place, physicians are required to evaluate their patients to determine what the best treatment option will be. Can a patient’s condition wait a couple months to be re-evaluated? Is chemotherapy or radiation an option if surgery cannot be completed? These are the questions physicians are asking themselves when deciding which treatment plan to pursue during this time.
Physicians are doing all they can to best care for their patients. Safety is everyone’s priority. Times are scary. It is extremely important to understand all your options and coordinate with your physician to determine which treatment is right for you.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, or any other life-threatening disease, call us at 248-247-8552 to set up a consultation. We will discuss treatment options to help you determine your correct path to better health.