Cancer patients may face higher risk of death from Covid-19 | Health24com
Cancer patients’ immune systems are often suppressed due to their treatment, or the cancer itself. However, the data suggest that patients should not stop their treatment, co-senior author Dr Amit Verma, director of the division of haemato-oncology at Montefiore and professor of medicine and developmental and molecular biology at Einstein explained.
"Rather, [cancer patients should] develop strategies to minimise potential Covid-19 exposures and re-evaluate therapies for our most vulnerable cancer populations," Verma explained.An analysis of more than half the patients involved in the study was found to have been in places with a higher risk of exposure to Covid-19, including nursing homes, hospitals or emergency departments within the 30 days before being diagnosed with Covid-19, the study found.
Since there is currently no vaccine to prevent Covid-19, or specific treatment for it, those who are most at risk – people with immunocompromised conditions, such as cancer; those who are over the age of 65; and people with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes and lung disease – must take extra precautions to minimise their risk of being exposed to the virus.
This includes practising really good hand hygiene, avoiding crowds, as well as anyone who may be sick, and just staying at home as much as possible. Cancer patients who display any symptoms should call their doctor or oncologist for expert guidance on whether their symptoms are in line with Covid-19 or their cancer diagnosis.
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