Dr. Doroshow on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cancer Care

Deborah B. Doroshow, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine, hematology, and medical oncology, Mount Sinai ​Hospital, discusses the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on cancer care.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to alter cancer care across the globe, says Doroshow.

For a period of time, New York City was the center of the pandemic with regard to a spike in the number of COVID-19 diagnoses, Doroshow explains

Recent​ly, research ​has suggest​ed that patients with cancer, as well as those with a history of cancer, are at ​an increased risk of both contracting COVID-19 and ​having a poor outcome ​due to the virus, ​says Doroshow.

The aim of the multicenter COVID-19 and Cancer Outcomes Study, ​which was presented during the virtual 2020 ESMO Congress, was to evaluate the ​ways in which the changes that were made to cancer care have impact​ed the overall outcomes ​of patients with cancer, Doroshow concludes.