Covid fear prevents cancer patients from seeing doctors, taking timely treatment

NAGPUR: Many cancer suspects and those already undergoing treatment have reportedly developed advanced stage of the disease after their investigations, evaluations and therapies got abruptly discontinued due to travel restrictions imposed in March last year to keep Covid in check.
Many patients, fearing Covid, also decided to postpone doctors’ visits for follow-ups after the first visit or delayed first consultation in hope that the pandemic would ebb.
Oncosurgeon Dr Sudhir Deshmukh categorized such sufferers as those already undergoing treatment, new suspects and Covid patients whose chest CT scan and other investigations showed indications of cancer which was waiting to be diagnosed. “Many missed their scheduled chemotherapies and such treatments due to unavailability of transportation, fearing corona or other lockdown hurdles,” said Dr Deshmukh who is also president of Nagpur Surgical Association.
Dr Deshmukh further said the suspected patients postponed their treatment by 3-4 weeks due to travel restrictions and Covid fear. “A 32-year-old woman had come to me around two months ago suspecting cancer. I had asked her to come back after 10 days for proper evaluations and detailed investigations. She did not turn up for several days. Later, she was diagnosed with cancer,” he said.
“Few patients were suspected of having cancer during Covid investigations but their treatment could start only after they recovered from the viral infection,” he said adding that chronic diseases must not be ignored for any reasons.
Oncophysician Dr Vaibhav Choudhary, head of cancer department at Wockhardt Hospital, said Covid restrictions hampered general screening, wellness and other check-ups, leading to drop in early detection of cases. “Surgery is curative if the disease is operable. But delays often make it inoperable. We have witnessed stage IV cancer at an early investigation when the cancer is more symptomatic and advanced,” he said.
“The delays or discontinuation of treatment make many patients ineligible for chemotherapy too. The adjuvant therapies should follow the surgeries but it cannot be postponed inordinately,” said Dr Choudhary and added, “Now, we are creating awareness about vaccination among cancer patients which will not only help prevent Covid but also not interrupt their treatment.”
Minimal access and cancer surgeon Dr Prachi Mahajan said patients, especially with breast cancer and other gastrointestinal malignancies, did not visit doctors due to Covid fears. “They are now presenting with advanced stages in which patient needs more of palliative adjuvant therapies rather than curative surgeries,” she said.
Dr BK Sharma, senior honorary consultant, RST Regional cancer hospital, said around 80% of their patients were from rural areas. “They might have been in dilemma about travelling to city but the hospital’s social workers’ team ensured they were motivated to visit. We had organized cancer camps at rural places, engaged Asha workers to motivate patients and also have a mobile van unit visiting the rural places,” he said.