Lung cancer management challenges amidst COVID-19 pandemic: hope lives here

Successful lung cancer management requires frequent hospital visits and admission for investigations, radiotherapy, chemotherapy etc. over the course of many weeks, thus risking high exposure of already immunocompromised patients to SARS-CoV-2 infection. [...]managing lung cancer during the COVID-19 crisis is a challenging task and all necessary measures should be taken to protect both the patient and the staff, especially from asymptomatic carriers. Challenges in lung cancer diagnosis The similarities in pneumonia secondary to COVID-19 or lung cancer (such as fatigue, cough and difficulty in breathing) make it difficult to differentiate them clinically and can result in the spread of the viral infection among contacts and health staff. Challenges in lung cancer treatment: chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (VA, USA), “To date, there is no supporting evidence to delay, withhold, or change chemotherapy, targeted therapy or immunotherapy in cancer patients. [...]routinely withholding critical anticancer or immunosuppressive therapy is not recommended.”