Risks Of Performing Surgery During Covid-19
- Exposure to the hospital environment and limited protective equipment could put patients’ and staff’s health at risk
- It’s important that physicians and patients have an honest conversation about whether surgery can be delayed
- Active surveillance is an option for prostate cancer patients who can delay surgery
The question posed by Dr. Freedland is at the top of many physicians’ and cancer patients’ minds during Covid-19. However, there are important steps to take first in order to decide whether a cancer surgery must be performed or rescheduled. Dr. Freedland stresses the importance of being honest with patients about risks and benefits of prostate cancer surgery during the coronavirus pandemic. He lists the risks as exposing themselves to a hospital environment as well as exposing hospital staff helping them, which can be harmful seeing as Covid-19 can be contracted through the air. Another risk is the limited protective gear and equipment for hospital staff, which will make rationing resources even more difficult between patients waiting for surgery and Covid-19 cases.
Read MoreActive Surveillance In Prostate Cancer Treatment
While some patients may be pushing for surgeries, monitoring a diagnosis can sometimes be just as effective for patients with early-stage prostate cancer. With active surveillance, patients will be watched to see if the cancer changes while in the prostate, and if it does then it will be treated.“With active surveillance you preserve your normal functioning,” Dr. James Brooks, a urologic oncologist at Stanford Hospital & Clinics, tells SurvivorNet. “You don’t have to suffer some of those potential side effects of sexual dysfunction or urinary dysfunction.”
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