Abstract 324P
Background
Cancer being a lethal disease, delay in treatment may be fatal. International organizations have come up with useful guidelines for cancer management. Still the availability of resources, infrastructure, state health policy, COVID incidence and approach of healthcare professionals differ. This study aims to find out the perception and approaches of Indian oncologists - which might prove to be useful in nation specific delivery of cancer care during COVID Pandemic.
Methods
After taking consent, a survey form was circulated online amongst oncologists (haemato/ radiation/ medical/ surgical) across the country and responses collected.
Results
79.2% oncologists represent private sector, 16.8% government sector. 50% oncologists were willing to postpone investigations for stable cancer patients. 42.6% willing to start treatment without knowing the COVID status, while 44.6% were against the idea and 12.9% were indecisive. 73% willing to perform surgery right away for operable nonemergency cases with a negative COVID status and rest 27 % willing to postpone surgery. Concurrent Chemoradiation (57%) was preferred over sequential approach (43%). Majority (53.5%) were comfortable prescribing chemotherapy via telemedicine. Asymptomatic COVID positive patients requiring chemotherapy 64.4% were willing to wait for the virus to resolve and then start therapy and 35.6% were suggesting some form of oral therapy and ongoing isolation. 89.1% preferred oral route if option present. 83.7 % preferred targeted therapy, 8.2% immunotherapy and rest went for other options. 93.1 % preferred day care chemotherapy during COVID and not admission. 61 % thought extended course of dexamethasone given as premedication during chemotherapy did not have a protective role for patients during COVID outbreak. Treatment initiation criteria in descending order - 39.6% stage of the disease, 36.6 % performance status, 22.8% COVID status and for rest it was the cost. 91% oncologists thought nurses were at a higher risk of exposure to COVID infection than the doctors. 54.5% were not taking anti COVID prophylaxis..
Conclusions
Greater homogeneity in practice was noticed amongst oncologists of a developing nation during COVID outbreak. The above information might be useful in policy making.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
The author.
Funding
Has not received any funding.
Disclosure
The author has declared no conflicts of interest.
Resources from the same session
77P - Dual targeting oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis in triple-negative breast cancers: En route to effective inhibition of tumour metabolism
Presenter: Alexander Scherbakov
Session: e-Poster Display Session
78P - Novel allogeneic cell immunotherapy for advanced cancers
Presenter: Ratnavelu Kananathan
Session: e-Poster Display Session
86P - The impact of sarcopenia on chemotherapy toxicity and survival rate among colorectal cancer patients who underwent chemotherapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Presenter: Timotius Hariyanto
Session: e-Poster Display Session
87P - Predictive risk factors and online nomograms for colon cancer with synchronous liver metastasis
Presenter: Yajuan Zhu
Session: e-Poster Display Session
88P - Research of radiomics based on indeterminate lung nodules predicting prognosis of LARC patients
Presenter: Zhang Zhiyuan
Session: e-Poster Display Session
89P - Biomarker analysis of regorafenib dose escalation study (RECC study): A phase II multicenter clinical trial in Japan
Presenter: Masanobu Enomoto
Session: e-Poster Display Session
90P - The role of miR-133a-3p/SP1/IGF1R axis in the progression of colorectal cancer
Presenter: Hui Li
Session: e-Poster Display Session
91P - Prognostic biomarker of clinical outcome in locally advanced rectal cancer in Chinese patients
Presenter: Sandy Ho
Session: e-Poster Display Session
92P - Development and validation of risk and prognostic nomograms for bone metastases in advanced colorectal cancer patients
Presenter: Nan Wang
Session: e-Poster Display Session
93P - Assessment of nutritional status of colorectal cancer patients in a tertiary government hospital
Presenter: Rogelio Velasco
Session: e-Poster Display Session