Behind the numbers and the panic of a viral pandemic: fixed restrictive oncology guidance may jeopardize patients' survival.

Mauri, Davide; Tzachanis, Dimitrios; Valachis, Antonis; Kamposioras, Konstantinos; Tolia, Maria; Dambrosio, Mario; Zarkavelis, Georgios; Gkoura, Stefania; Gazouli, Ioanna; De Lorenzo, Francesco; Apostolidis, Kathi

To protect cancer patients from COVID-19 exposure, prioritization strategies are being implemented at global level. Measures include use of tele-health services, deferring elective surgeries, delaying non life-saving therapies, interrupting maintenance and supportive care regimens and suspending screening and regular follow-up visits. Nonetheless, the risk of infection may not always outweigh oncology treatment benefit. Lives of most oncology patients depend on their ability to receive medical, surgical and radiotherapy care. Postponing screening, follow-up and radical surgeries increase patients' risk of developing metastatic disease. A viral pandemic lasts long time and exhibits seasonal and geographical variations. Though vaccines will be available only in the 2021, a global, aggressive, all-embracing and protracted slowdown of oncologic activities will severely jeopardize patients' outcomes. A present international oncologists' panel, ECPC and FAVO, strongly suggest that Hospital measures in a specific geographical area/Nation should be in line with the local epidemic, and restrictions adopted should be adapted and stratified over time.