Measures of infection prevention and incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections in cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

COVID-19 infection has manifested as a major threat to both patients and healthcare providers around the world. Radiation oncology institutions (ROI) deliver a major component of cancer treatment, with protocols that might span over several weeks, with the result of increasing susceptibility to COVID-19 infection and presenting with a more severe clinical course when compared with the general population. The aim of this manuscript is to investigate the impact of ROI protocols and performance on daily practice in the high-risk cancer patients during this pandemic.

Methods

We addressed the incidence of positive COVID-19 cases in both patients and health care workers (HCW), in addition to the protective measures adopted in ROIs in Germany, Austria and Switzerland using

SUBMITTER: Matuschek C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7483062 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature