COVID-19 and Its Impact on Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancer Management

Fernando, Shalini; Veli, Mesel; Mohammadi, Borzoueh; Millar, Andrew; Khan, Khurum

SIMPLE SUMMARY: In the midst of a pandemic resulting from the new virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, we carried out a review of the impact of the virus on patients suffering with upper gastrointestinal cancers. This previously unknown, but highly infectious virus, has rapidly spread throughout the world, causing devastation to people’s health on a global scale. The scientific and medical community have had to adapt and learn how to manage the virus, which has had knock on effects to patients suffering other diseases. Health services have been severely disrupted, so we reviewed the impact of this, specifically relating to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with upper gastrointestinal cancers. The situation is rapidly changing; therefore, we share the findings of our critical analysis of the available literature. ABSTRACT: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the novel, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, has left dramatic footprints on human health and economy. Cancer, whilst not an infective disease, is prevalent in epidemic proportions and cannot be pretermitted due to the impact of COVID-19. As we emanate from the second national lockdown in the UK with mixed feelings of hope and despair—due to vaccination and new COVID-19 variant, respectively—we reflect on the impact of the first wave on the provision on diagnosis and management of with upper gastrointestinal (UGI) cancers. This review provides a critical analysis of available literature on COVID-19 and its impact on cancer management in general and that of UGI cancers in particular.