• Facebook
  • Rss
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Store
  • Donate
NCCS - National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
  • About
    • Our Mission
    • Our History
    • Our Leadership
      • Policy Advisors
    • Employment
    • Partnerships
    • Financial Information
  • Policy
    • Quality Cancer Care
    • Access to Care
    • Health Equity
    • Redefining Functional Status (RFS)
    • 2020 State of Cancer Survivorship Survey
    • Cancer Care Planning and Communications Act (CCPCA)
  • Get Involved
    • What is Advocacy?
    • Cancer Policy and Advocacy Team (CPAT)
    • Elevating Survivorship
    • Survivor Stories
    • Cancerversary
    • State Based Cancer Advocacy
  • Resources
    • COVID-19 Resources for Cancer Survivors
    • Survivorship Checklist
    • Cancer Survival Toolbox
    • Telehealth
    • Survivorship Champions
    • Publications
      • Talking With Your Doctor
      • Self Advocacy
      • Employment Rights
      • Remaining Hopeful
    • Cancer Convos Podcast
    • Taking Charge of Your Care
    • Care Planning for Cancer Survivors
    • Tools For Care Providers
    • Order Our Resources
  • News
  • Events
    • Ellen L. Stovall Award
      • Nominations
      • Honorees
      • Sponsors
      • Committees
    • From Shadows to Life: A Biography of the Cancer Survivorship Movement
    • Cancer Policy Roundtable
      • Spring 2021 Cancer Policy Roundtable
      • Fall 2020 Cancer Policy Roundtable
      • Spring 2020 Cancer Policy Roundtable
    • Cancer Policy and Advocacy Team (CPAT) Symposium 2020
    • Webinars
  • Contact Us
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
  • 0Shopping Cart

Year-End MATCH (DEADLINE Dec 31): Donate & Make a Difference | Donate

ASTRO COVID 19 Webinar

Radiation Oncology Care During COVID-19: How Are Cancer Patients Getting Life-Saving Radiation Treatment?

May 11, 2020/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News COVID-19, Quality Cancer Care, Shared Decision-Making NCCS News /by actualize

The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) has been collecting questions from covid-19 patients and survivors on the coronavirus crisis and is addressing these questions through a series of webinars and podcasts.

Leading experts from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Ronald D. Ennis, MD and Louis Potters, MD joined NCCS CEO Shelley Fuld Nasso to discuss the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on radiation oncology practices and answer questions from cancer patients. NCCS is pleased to co-present this conversation with ASTRO.

The conversation focused on how cancer patients can receive life-saving radiation treatment while implementing safety and quality measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shelley Fuld Nasso also posed important questions and concerns from cancer survivors about their care. The discussion reminded us of an important theme during this time: cancer does not wait.

Together, we hope this discussion informs cancer survivors, and their loved ones, about how to get the help they need and live well during and after cancer treatment.

I think the positive story in this is that, as we’ve gone through this—and we’ve been in a very busy, intense COVID-positive environment—at the end of the day, we really do not need to compromise the care of our patients.Louis Potters, MD

Is It Safe to Receive Radiation Treatment?

Dr. Ennis said he is proud of how the radiation oncology community came together during this time and says that their first goal was ensuring the safety of patients and staff and that “goal number two was to continue patient care.”

Dr. Ennis said that in most cases, radiation treatment does not affect a patient’s immune system or their odds of surviving COVID-19. But he stressed that patients need to have that conversation with their physicians:

Radiation by itself these days is given generally to very small volumes of tissue, and the immune system is very minimally affected or not affected at all. So anyone who has that concern, obviously, needs to speak to their particular physician about their case, but writ large radiotherapy as done for most cancers will not impact your immune system.

The one exception to that of significance is when radiation is combined together with chemotherapy, which is common. A significant minority of patients are treated that way with curative intent, and in those situations, both the chemo and the radiation can contribute to some weakening of the immune system. In that situation, obviously a conversation needs to happen about whether it’s still appropriate and best to proceed or best to hold off for a period of time to allow the COVID pandemic to get under better control, but it is important not to assume that cancer treatment will be dangerous for you. There are studies coming out suggesting that for many situations, cancer treatment does not impact how someone does should they have COVID, nor make them more predisposed to get it. But there are certainly some situations where it is an issue and in the end, it’s a conversation between the patient and his health care team.

Dr. Potters talked about how radiology practices have been able bounce back quicker than other areas of cancer care:

When you look at the three legs of cancer care—surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy—I think in a lot of ways radiation has turned out to be the most resilient. We’re not reliant on the operating rooms—which in a sort of binary manner just closed overnight and limited the surgical oncological approach for a lot of patients—and radiation is a local treatment without the immunosuppression that is typical with chemotherapy. So our patients are tolerating care really without atypical side effects or risk that they otherwise wouldn’t have.

That’s not to say that we aren’t monitoring and assessing our patients carefully. One of the things that we recognized was that we certainly don’t want our patients during treatment to need to go to the hospital, whether it’s an emergency room for evaluation or the need to be hospitalized because of treatment-related morbidity or complications. And so we put into place a very aggressive weekly management program for patients at high-risk—the head and neck [patients], some of the pelvic floor patients, some of the lung patients, and that’s really worked very well in terms of maintaining fluid status, duration, nutrition, and managing of side effects. …

I think the positive story in this is that, as we’ve gone through this—and we’ve been in a very busy, intense COVID-positive environment—at the end of the day, we really do not need to compromise the care of our patients.

About the Guest Speakers

Ronald D. Ennis, MD is a radiation oncologist at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. He has expertise in prostate cancer, genitourinary malignancies and gynecologic malignancies. He has extensive experience with high dose-rate and low dose-rate brachytherapy, stereotactic body radiosurgery (a.k.a. “Cyberknife”), intensity modulated radiotherapy, three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, image-guided radiotherapy, hormone therapy, surveillance and survivorship. Dr. Ennis strongly believes in a compassionate patient-centered approach, finding the optimal care for each patient taking into account his/her individual needs, preferences and medical conditions.

Louis Potters, MD is chairman of the Department of Radiation Medicine at Northwell Health and professor at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He is also immediate past Chair of the Northwell Health Physician Partners Board of Governors and executive Committee. Dr. Potters is a practicing radiation oncologist and an internationally recognized expert in the management and treatment of prostate cancer. Board-certified in internal medicine and radiation oncology, Dr. Potters oversees one of the largest radiation oncology departments with a faculty and staff devoted to excellent patient care, research and the education of tomorrow’s oncologists.

ASTRO COVID-19 resource page for providers and patients »


More About Cancer and COVID-19

Error: View 454df2721p may not exist
Tags: cancer care, Cancer Survivorship, coronavirus, COVID-19, covid-19 webinar, Decision-Making, radiation
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ASTRO-COVID-19-Webinar-ad.jpg 600 1200 actualize https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NCCA-Logo.png actualize2020-05-11 11:51:012020-11-11 10:56:41Radiation Oncology Care During COVID-19: How Are Cancer Patients Getting Life-Saving Radiation Treatment?
You might also like
FacebookProfile3 NCCS’ Paper on Oncologist-Patient Communication Published in Evidence-Based Oncology Journal
NCCS Starburst 250px WCOE: Graham-Cassidy Repeal Plan Has Deep Cuts; Bipartisan ACA Hearings Set; Sticker Shock Over Leukemia Drug; New Palliative Care Study; & More
dome NCCS and CLC Policy Comments: 2015 Physician Fee Schedule
NCCS Starburst 250px Health Care Roundup: Drug Pricing Bill Advances; ACA Open Enrollment & Premium Data; Cancer Overdiagnosis; “Medicaid Haves and Have-Nots”; More
NCCS Starburst 250px Health Care Roundup: Cokie Roberts; Survivorship in the News; Junk Insurance Doesn’t Cover the Bills; Seeking Help and Encouragement; More
NCCS Starburst Thumbnail WCOE: Online Health Search Privacy, King v. Burwell Updates, Pain Post-Surgery, and Susan Gubar’s Latest on Living with Cancer
NCCS Letter to HHS NCCS Letter to HHS: Proposed Regulatory Review Rule Would Create Unnecessary Uncertainty for Patients
Exercise nutrition blog series NCCS Wellness and Survivorship Blog Series Wrap-Up

Latest News

NCCS Founders at 1990 Assembly

The Birth of the Cancer Survivorship Movement and How It Transformed Cancer Care for Millions

March 25, 2021
Guest Post by Judith L. Pearson Best-Selling Author of From Shadows to Life: A Biography…
Read more
https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/10-Founders-1990-NCCS-Assembly.jpg 600 1200 NCCS Staff https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NCCA-Logo.png NCCS Staff2021-03-25 10:36:202021-03-25 13:46:05The Birth of the Cancer Survivorship Movement and How It Transformed Cancer Care for Millions
HHS Humphrey bldg 1200

Biden Rescinds Trump Admin Proposal to Limit Medicare Part D Coverage of Drugs in “Six Protected Classes”

March 19, 2021
This week, the Biden administration rescinded a Trump administration-proposed plan…
Read more
https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/HHS-Humphrey-bldg-1200.jpg 600 1200 NCCS Staff https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NCCA-Logo.png NCCS Staff2021-03-19 13:36:192021-03-23 14:46:18Biden Rescinds Trump Admin Proposal to Limit Medicare Part D Coverage of Drugs in “Six Protected Classes”
CDC Headquarters

NCCS Recommends That States Allocate COVID-19 Vaccines to Cancer Care Providers

March 1, 2021
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) and the Cancer Leadership Council…
Read more
https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/CDC_Headquarters_PHIL_pubdomain_1200.jpg 600 1200 NCCS Staff https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NCCA-Logo.png NCCS Staff2021-03-01 15:49:432021-03-04 17:45:07NCCS Recommends That States Allocate COVID-19 Vaccines to Cancer Care Providers

Take Action

Stovall Award

The Ellen L. Stovall Award for Innovation in Patient-Centered Cancer Care is a unique opportunity for patients and survivors to recognize pioneers who are transforming the cancer care system.

Join CPAT

The NCCS Cancer Policy & Advocacy Team (CPAT) is a program for survivors and caregivers to learn about pressing policy issues that affect quality cancer care in order to be engaged as advocates in public policy around the needs of cancer survivors.

Share Your Story

NCCS represents the millions of Americans who share a common experience – the survivorship experience – living with, through and beyond a cancer diagnosis.

STAY CONNECTED

Together we can improve cancer care for survivors! Sign up to be the first to know about cancer policy issues and ways to take action

  • About
    • Our Mission
    • Our History
    • Our Leadership
      • Policy Advisors
    • Employment
    • Partnerships
    • Financial Information
  • Policy
    • Quality Cancer Care
    • Access to Care
    • Health Equity
    • Redefining Functional Status (RFS)
    • 2020 State of Cancer Survivorship Survey
    • Cancer Care Planning and Communications Act (CCPCA)
  • Get Involved
    • What is Advocacy?
    • Cancer Policy and Advocacy Team (CPAT)
    • Elevating Survivorship
    • Survivor Stories
    • Cancerversary
    • State Based Cancer Advocacy
  • Resources
    • COVID-19 Resources for Cancer Survivors
    • Survivorship Checklist
    • Cancer Survival Toolbox
    • Telehealth
    • Survivorship Champions
    • Publications
      • Talking With Your Doctor
      • Self Advocacy
      • Employment Rights
      • Remaining Hopeful
    • Cancer Convos Podcast
    • Taking Charge of Your Care
    • Care Planning for Cancer Survivors
    • Tools For Care Providers
    • Order Our Resources
  • News
  • Events
    • Ellen L. Stovall Award
      • Nominations
      • Honorees
      • Sponsors
      • Committees
    • From Shadows to Life: A Biography of the Cancer Survivorship Movement
    • Cancer Policy Roundtable
      • Spring 2021 Cancer Policy Roundtable
      • Fall 2020 Cancer Policy Roundtable
      • Spring 2020 Cancer Policy Roundtable
    • Cancer Policy and Advocacy Team (CPAT) Symposium 2020
    • Webinars
  • Contact Us

National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
8455 Colesville Road  |  Suite 930  |  Silver Spring, MD 20910
877-NCCS-YES  |  info@canceradvocacy.org
Privacy Policy  |  Terms and Conditions

Copyright © 1995-2021 by the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, NCCS, Cancer Survival Toolbox, and related Logos are registered in the United States as trademarks of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship.

Health Care Roundup: Cancer Care on the Front Lines of COVID-19; Study: Cancer... NCCS Starburst 250px NCCS News Cancer Policy Matters NCCS Project Aims to Gain Cancer Survivors’ Insights on Telehealth
Scroll to top

Harmar Brereton, MD

Founder
Northeast Regional Cancer Institute

 

“Perhaps one of the most impactful collaborations in Dr. Brereton’s extraordinary career remains his early work and long friendship with Ellen Stovall. Through him, and in turn through the thousands of lives he has touched, Ellen’s work continues, and her mission lives on.”

—Karen M. Saunders
President, Northeast Regional Cancer Institute