Study on the effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Cancer Treatment and Research

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way that healthcare systems and research centers across the world operate. Resources are now being poured into fighting the pandemic. Unfortunately, these resources are often drawn from other healthcare sectors. The focus of this paper is to determine how the shift of resources affects how cancer treatment and cancer research across the globe. Previous research in this topic is sparse, so looking into how cancer research and treatment has been affected can prove beneficial by highlighting the affected treatment methods for cancer patients so that healthcare teams will be able to allocate resources for particularly vulnerable patients once resources are available. Research has discovered that the shift of resources has led to a decrease in screenings for various types of cancer. Furthermore, clinical trials for new cancer treatments have been paused as well. This has led to an increase in cancer-related mortality, for many different types of cancer. However, some healthcare systems are adapting to these changes by increasing their use of telemedicine, which patients have welcomed. This shows that resources being taken away from cancer treatment and research has had a negative impact on cancer care but as the pandemic progresses, healthcare workers are finding ways to care for their patients.