For cancer patients, except in urgent cases, it is "better to postpone chemotherapy treatments to the hospital and scheduled check-ups". This was stated by the Italian Association of Medical Oncology, which underlines the need, in the face of the coronavirus emergency, to postpone programmed anticancer treatments in some cases. Therefore, postponement of visits and activation of follow-up via email or telephone. It is also "appropriate to evaluate the eventual postponement of the treatment on a case-by-case basis, based on the relationship between the risks of hospital access and the expected benefits".
The AIOM, affirm Giordano Beretta, Aiom president, and Saverio Cinieri, elected president of the scientific society, "shows great solidarity with all medical oncologists and all operators in the oncological area who, alongside other doctors, nurses and all health workers are facing or preparing to face the health emergency caused by the coronavirus. In particular, our thoughts go to those who are at the forefront in the red areas and in the regions where the infections are higher today ". "We are aware that due to the operational difficulties related to the workload of the healthcare staff, who already affects some hospitals and will probably see others affected shortly, it may also be necessary to defer part of the planned activity for cancer patients - explain Beretta and Cinieri - We are in times of great and unexpected emergencies and the whole nation is called to a demanding test. The moment is difficult for the daily practices of us oncologists and of our cancer patients, already engaged in a complex path of illness ". Aiom, they conclude, "invites all members to scrupulously respect, and to disclose in a capillary way, the directives of the Ministry of Health and of the other competent authorities, in order to protect the health of all of us and help to limit infections as much as possible".