Commentary: Should all cancer patients be tested for COVID-19 before each chemotherapy cycle?
- 20 January 2021
- journal article
- editorial
- Published by SAGE Publications in Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice
- Vol. 27 (2), 450-452
- https://doi.org/10.1177/1078155220988753
Abstract
Cancer patients under active chemotherapy are more vulnerable to coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). There are still some controversies regarding routine polymerase chain reaction testing of asymptomatic cancer patients before chemotherapy cycles. Despite a lack of data, Al-Shamsi et al. showed higher COVID-19 positivity rate among asymptomatic cancer patients. Furthermore, mortality rate was higher in this group of patients. There is no high evidence-based recommendation from the cancer societies for testing asymptomatic patients before each chemotherapy cycle. In this commentary, we assessed the current publications and guidelines regarding this issue.Keywords
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