JCO global oncology
-
JCO global oncology · Sep 2020
Delivering Cancer Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Recommendations and Lessons Learned From ASCO Global Webinars.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ASCO launched a Global Webinar Series to address various aspects of cancer care during the pandemic. Here we present the lessons learned and recommendations that have emerged from these webinars. ⋯ The recommendations from the ASCO Global Webinar Series may guide practicing oncologists to manage their patients during the ongoing pandemic and help organizations recover from the crisis. Implementation of these recommendations may improve understanding of how COVID-19 has affected cancer care and increase readiness to manage the current and any future outbreaks effectively.
-
JCO global oncology · Aug 2020
Pediatric Solid Tumor Care and Multidisciplinary Tumor Boards in Low- and Middle-Income Countries in Southeast Asia.
Pediatric solid tumors require coordinated multidisciplinary specialist care. However, expertise and resources to conduct multidisciplinary tumor boards (MDTBs) are lacking in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We aimed to profile the landscape of pediatric solid tumor care and practices and perceptions on MDTBs among pediatric solid tumor units (PSTUs) in Southeast Asian LMICs. ⋯ This first known profile of pediatric solid tumor care in Southeast Asia found that availability of pediatric-trained subspecialists was a significant prerequisite for pediatric MDTBs in this region. Most PSTUs lacked pediatric-trained pathologists and radiologists. Correspondingly, gaps in radiographic and pathologic diagnoses were the most common limitations for MDTBs. Greater emphasis on holistic multidisciplinary subspecialty development is needed to advance pediatric solid tumor care in Southeast Asia.
-
JCO global oncology · Aug 2020
Survey of the Impact of COVID-19 on Oncologists' Decision Making in Cancer.
To understand readiness measures taken by oncologists to protect patients and health care workers from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and how their clinical decision making was influenced by the pandemic. ⋯ Decision making by oncologists has been significantly influenced by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
-
JCO global oncology · Jul 2020
Scientia Potentia Est: How the Italian World of Oncology Changes in the COVID-19 Pandemic.
After coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic by the WHO, a response from the Italian Health System to react to an unprecedented condition became necessary and sudden. The COVID-19 pandemic has required oncologists to redefine clinical organization and patient management. The purpose of our study was to document the difficulties emerging during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Italian oncology. ⋯ Our survey demonstrated the flexibility of oncologic teams. However, the emergency response quality has been heterogeneous, and several drawbacks have emerged from the first analyses investigating how the world of oncology changes in the COVID-19 pandemic. Information, protection, testing, and training of health care professionals are key words that should be kept in mind to encourage recovery after this tragedy and to be ready to face a similar emergency in the future.
-
JCO global oncology · Jul 2020
Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Impact on Care for Rare Cancers.
Many patients with cancer, often those with rare cancers such as sarcomas, travel long distances to access expert care. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated widespread changes in delivery of cancer care, including rapid adoption of telemedicine-based care. We aimed to evaluate the impact of telemedicine on patients, clinicians, and care delivery at the Royal Marsden Hospital (RMH) Sarcoma Unit during the pandemic. ⋯ Telemedicine can revolutionize delivery of cancer care, particularly for patients with rare cancers who often live far away from expert centers. Our study demonstrates important patient and clinician benefits; assessment of longer-term impact on patient outcomes and health care systems is needed.