COVID-19 and Gynecologic Cancer: SGO Expert Panel Offers Clinical Considerations
Posted: Friday, July 10, 2020
According to recommendations from an expert panel convened by the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) in Gynecologic Oncology, patients with gynecologic cancer, including ovarian cancer, are at an increased risk of developing COVID-19 morbidity or mortality. “Careful deliberation is required in the decision-making surrounding anticancer therapy and clinical trials management during this challenging time,” according to R. Wendel Naumann, MD, of the Levine Cancer Center, Charlotte, North Carolina, and colleagues.
The panel recommended that patients with ovarian or other gynecologic cancers have limited exposure to health-care facilities during the pandemic. This can be accomplished by physicians utilizing telemedicine as appropriate and selecting treatment regimens that require the least number of facility visits. Selecting less immunosuppressive treatment regimens may also be beneficial in reducing patient risk.
The panel also noted that the demands associated with the COVID-19 pandemic will likely strain medical resources necessary for appropriate cancer care, potentially disrupting the planned delivery of care. In that event, it is recommended to prioritize safety and risk management while approximating standard practice. Since such disruptions are also likely to occur in clinical trials, the panel suggests that those responsible for performing trials highlight patient safety and clinical trial oversight by understanding regulatory obligations they may have to a trial’s sponsors and to the institutional review board.
Disclosure: For full disclosures of the study authors, visit gynecologiconcology-online.net.
