• Leila T Tchelebi, Karin Haustermans, Marta Scorsetti, Ali Hosni, Florence Huguet, Maria A Hawkins, Laura A Dawson, and Karyn A Goodman.
• Department of Radiation Oncology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, USA. Electronic address: ltchelebi@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.
• Radiother Oncol. 2020 Jul 1; 148: 194-200.

AbstractAs of April 6, 2020, there are over 1,200,000 reported cases and 70,000 deaths worldwide due to COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and these numbers rise exponentially by the day [1]. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the most effective means of minimizing the spread of the virus is through reducing interactions between individuals [2]. We performed a review of the literature, as well as national and international treatment guidelines, seeking data in support of the RADS principle (Remote visits, Avoid radiation, Defer radiation, Shorten radiation) [3] as it applies to gastrointestinal cancers. The purpose of the present work is to guide radiation oncologists managing patients with gastrointestinal cancers during the COVID-19 crisis in order to maintain the safety of our patients, while minimizing the impact of the pandemic on cancer outcomes.Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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