Subject(s)
Biomedical Research/methods , COVID-19/prevention & control , Neoplasms/therapy , Patient Care/methods , Research Report , American Cancer Society/organization & administration , Biomedical Research/statistics & numerical data , Biomedical Research/trends , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/virology , Humans , Medical Oncology/methods , Medical Oncology/statistics & numerical data , Medical Oncology/trends , Neoplasms/diagnosis , Pandemics/prevention & control , Patient Care/statistics & numerical data , Patient Care/trends , SARS-CoV-2/physiology , United StatesABSTRACT
Published series on COVID-19 support the notion that patients with cancer are a particularly vulnerable population. There is a confluence of risk factors between cancer and COVID-19, and cancer care and treatments increase exposure to the virus and may dampen natural immune responses. The available evidence supports the conclusion that patients with cancer, in particular with hematologic malignancies, should be considered among the very high-risk groups for priority COVID-19 vaccination.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 Vaccines , COVID-19/prevention & control , Health Care Rationing/organization & administration , Hematologic Neoplasms/complications , Hematologic Neoplasms/epidemiology , Humans , Immunity , Immunization Programs/organization & administration , Odds Ratio , Proportional Hazards Models , Public Health/methods , Risk , Risk Factors , Treatment Outcome , VaccinationABSTRACT
Screening for cancer is a proven and recommended approach to prevent deaths from cancer; screening can locate precursor lesions and/or cancer at early stages when it is potentially curable. Racial and ethnic minorities and other medically underserved populations exhibit lower uptake of cancer screening than nonminorities in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic, which disproportionately affected minority communities, has curtailed preventive services including cancer screening to preserve personal protective equipment and prevent spread of infection. While there is evidence for a rebound from the pandemic-driven reduction in cancer screening nationally, the return may not be even across all populations, with minority population screening that was already behind becoming further behind as a result of the community ravages from COVID-19. Fear of contracting COVID-19, limited access to safety-net clinics, and personal factors like, financial, employment, and transportation issues are concerns that are intensified in medically underserved communities. Prolonged delays in cancer screening will increase cancer in the overall population from pre-COVID-19 trajectories, and elevate the cancer disparity in minority populations. Knowing the overall benefit of cancer screening versus the risk of acquiring COVID-19, utilizing at-home screening tests and keeping the COVID-19-induced delay in screening to a minimum might slow the growth of disparity.