Every year, February is marked as Cancer Prevention Awareness Month and at a time when there has been a surge in Covid 19 cases in the country, oncologists worry that cancer care delivery has taken a back seat while many are casually passing unverified health tips which makes it easy to fall into the trap of cancer management misconceptions in the times of the ongoing pandemic. The Covid 19 pandemic has added to the burden of people suffering with cancer or chances of an increase in its risk since they are immunosuppressed which makes them vulnerable to contracting the coronavirus.The American Cancer Society s Cancer Action Network too pointed out that the Covid 19 pandemic and responses to help prevent its spread have had a far reaching impact on the cancer community which includes delays and cancellations of health care services, economic challenges affecting their ability to pay for care, and concerns about their future ability to access and afford the care they need. Since many patients are receiving prolonged diagnoses which is drastically affecting treatment outcomes, health experts stress the importance of immediate caution and care to effectively help better treatment outcomes among cancer patients.In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr PS Dattatreya, Director And Chief Of Medical Oncology Services at The Renova Soumya Comprehensive Cancer Centre shared, During this time, it is crucial to spread awareness around the importance of getting vaccinated and address various myths that exist surrounding cancer care and treatment.
nbsp;He added, As per WHO s Globocan 2020, nearly 8,00,000 deaths in India are attributed to cancer, and Cancer is the second largest cause of death in India. Currently, many cancer patients, healthcare providers are reeling under the pressure of many misconceptions around cancer care during the pandemic. Efforts in creating awareness around cancer symptoms, screening methods and treatment options are essential to strengthening the cancer care system, during the times of this pandemic. Differentiating facts from fiction, Dr PS Dattatreya busted 4 myths regarding cancer management in times of Covid 19 pandemic.Myth 1: I should not get a Covid 19 vaccine if I have had cancer or have cancer currentlyFact: Most healthcare institutions in India recommend that people above the age of 18 should get a Covid vaccine, it also includes those people who are suffering from any underlying medical conditions. nbsp;It is especially a must for cancer patients since they have a weaker immune system and are susceptible to the virus.Myth 2: Covid 19 vaccine should be avoided during cancer treatmentFact: If the patient has just received cancer treatment such as chemotherapy, stem cell transplant, etc.
then your doctor may advise you to recover for a while until your immune cells get replenished before getting vaccinated. Immunosuppressive treatment could also be recommended by your medical practitioner after a few weeks of your vaccination.Sometimes booster doses may also be given while cancer patient is receiving treatment that has moderate to severe effect on one s immune system. nbsp;This is to strengthen the response the body received during the inoculation of the primary doses.Myth 3: mRNA vaccines can cause my DNA to change eventually leading to CancerFact: None of the vaccines given can cause any alterations or mutations to your DNA therefore, it cannot cause any cancer as it never interacts with the DNA part of the cell which is the nucleus.Myth 4: Cancer treatment is impossible if I test positiveFact: It is important to take Covid safe precautions if a person is tested positive to prevent the spread of the virus. Contact an oncologist to get a clear idea of the impact it will have on the cancer treatment. Most cancer treatments require one to test negative before going through them but if imminent, a benefit risk analysis will be done to restart the treatment journey.
