Decision on Chemotherapy Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic: a Review and a Practical Approach from Iran

Abstract

To provide a step-by-step approach to chemotherapy (CTx) in the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era. The COVID-19 pandemic is the current global issue resulting in vast health implications. Amid the COVID-19 era, special attention must be paid to at-risk groups, including patients with cancer. To our knowledge, there is a paucity of data on the decision for CTx during the pandemic. We herein provide practical recommendations on the CTx of cancer patients over the pandemic based on our experience in an educational hospital. The decision on CTx should be considered to be individualized based on clinical findings. We hope that our experience provides a practical guide for clinical oncologists to deliver more effective cancer care over the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; Cancer; Chemotherapy.

Figure 1. The consensus from the Shohada-e Tajrish Hospital for management of chemotherapy over COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19, coronavirus disease-2019; CTx, chemotherapy; S/S, signs and symptoms; CBC, diff, complete blood count with differential count; RT-PCR, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; CT, computed tomography; SpO₂, blood oxygenation saturation level; D/C, discontinue; F & N, fever and neutropenia; q24h, every 24-hours.