Urologic oncology during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic will have numerous consequences in the management of patients with genitourinary cancers. As we are struggling to best exploit our limited health-care resources in managing COVID-19 infected patients, we need to rethink our approach to provide the best medical care for cancer patients in the time of this global crisis. There is a need for a decision-making algorithm which takes into account the age, presenting symptoms, comorbid illnesses, access to health-care services, and availability of qualified health-care personnel. We must provide support, a clear and comprehensible information along with essential care to the patients seeking medical opinion during a time of this unforeseen global health crisis. In this mini review we have made an attempt to prioritize the necessity of intervention in urological oncology patients as per various national and international guidelines. This approach should be tailored as per locally available health-care resources and the burden of COVID-19 infected cases in that region.