How Are Hospitals Handling Ovarian Cancer Treatment During COVID-19?

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the entire health care system. And one of the first U.S. cities to feel its seismic effects was Seattle.

“It was during those early months that [we] experienced a big outbreak here in Washington [state],” says Dr. Heidi Gray, gynecologic oncologist at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Very early on, we saw a huge decline in patients coming in. “They were canceling surgeries, canceling appointments. Those who were on chemotherapy were worried and wanted to delay their treatment. We ended up reducing our surgeries—up to 40 percent for a period of time—because [we weren’t sure] what we could do to keep people safe.”

Cancer Patients Face an Increased Risk of Infection

Patients and doctors alike have been leery about medical appointments and treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic, but cancer patients have more reason than most to be cautious. Being in a hospital setting for surgery or going to a chemotherapy infusion center increases the risk of being exposed to the coronavirus. Chemo treatments can weaken the immune system, leaving patients more vulnerable to infection.

On the other hand, ovarian cancer is a serious malignancy that can grow quite aggressively. Delaying treatment may be dangerous.

So what are doctors and patients doing?

Treating with Chemo First

In areas where hospitals are full of COVID patients, some doctors are choosing to postpone surgery and treat patients with chemotherapy first, or to replace intravenous chemotherapy with oral anti-cancer drugs such as PARP inhibitors. The idea, of course, is to minimize possible exposure to the new coronavirus while still providing appropriate cancer care.

SurvivorNet spoke to oncologists who reassured us that cancer patients across the country are still getting appropriate treatment and care. Doctors say they’ve just had to carefully tailor treatment plans to reduce the risk of infection. The doctors say they’ve been looking at each patient individually and making the decision that’s best for them long-term so that they’re comfortable with their care and the cancer is still being aggressively treated.

Telemedicine Visits

Another way that many hospitals and medical offices have adapted to COVID is by scheduling telemedicine check-ins rather than in-person visits whenever possible. Patients who are in remission and being watched, for instance, can be followed up with teleconferencing, which allows doctors to interact, and to get a sense of their general well-being. Patients can share any symptoms they’re experiencing, or any concerns, during these virtual visits. Though the telehealth approach eliminates the risk of infection, doctors caution that it’s not the same as an in-person visit.

Shifting to Recovery Phase in Seattle

The good news for Seattle is that “we’re now [shifting to] our recovery phase,” says Dr. Gray. “Over the last few weeks, I’ve seen more and more patients who were delaying [appointments and surgery] coming in.” We’re definitely “trying to get these patients in very quickly, get them safely to surgery, so they can get the care they need.”

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