Brachytherapy Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Practice Statement from a Cancer Center in Wuhan, China

Jiang, Yao; Li, Guiling; Xing, Biyuan; Wang, Ye; Liu, Zhao; Zhao, Yingchao

Purpose COVID-19 broke out in late 2019 and rapidly spread around the world and became a pandemic. This highly contagious disease affects routine health care services and cancer patients who are susceptible to it. Delivering brachytherapy on time is critical for cancer patients to get better prognosis. The purpose of this study is to present workflow and standard for radiation centers to deliver brachytherapy and avoid cross-infection during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods and Materials This study combined previous literature and guidelines of precaution with clinical experience in the COVID-19 pandemic. Results A workflow covering patients’ screening, health care workers’ precaution, training, and other aspects of the whole brachytherapy procedure was established. Conclusions From the reopening of radiation center to mid-May in 2020, there is no hospital infection of COVID-19 in patients or healthcare workers. This recommendation is effective and helpful to other cancer centers.