Radiation Therapy Care During a Major Outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan

Shen Wu; Dandan Zheng; Yongsheng Liu; Desheng Hu; Wei Wei; Guang Han

doi:10.1016/j.adro.2020.03.004

Radiation Therapy Care During a Major Outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan

Adv Radiat Oncol. 2020 Mar 27;5(4):531-533. doi: 10.1016/j.adro.2020.03.004. eCollection 2020 Jul-Aug.

Authors

Shen Wu¹, Dandan Zheng², Yongsheng Liu¹, Desheng Hu¹, Wei Wei¹, Guang Han¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiation Oncology, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
² Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska.

Abstract

Purpose: The epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) challenges the prevention and protection of the cancer patients and the staff in the department of radiation oncology.

Methods: At the Hubei Cancer Hospital, we organized an emergency infection control team to lead special efforts to combat COVID-19 during this challenging time.

Results: Radiation therapy treatments were resumed on January 30th and have never stopped again at the hospital regardless of the circumstances of the ongoing outbreak. Between January 30th and the time of the writing, we have treated over 100 radiation therapy patients, with no incidence of on-site COVID-19 transmission between patients and health care workers in the duration.

Conclusions: Our experience will help guide the practice in other regions that are or might be facing outbreaks of this disease.

Publication types

Review