Health authorities advise that all essential cancer care should continue during the Covid-19 pandemic. Jaime Puebla / The National
Health authorities advise that all essential cancer care should continue during the Covid-19 pandemic. Jaime Puebla / The National
Health authorities advise that all essential cancer care should continue during the Covid-19 pandemic. Jaime Puebla / The National
Health authorities advise that all essential cancer care should continue during the Covid-19 pandemic. Jaime Puebla / The National

Coronavirus: cancer patients face difficult decisions on treatment


Kelly Clarke
  • English
  • Arabic

Doctors are faced with the dilemma of choosing between under-treating vulnerable cancer patients or potentially exposing them to Covid-19.

As the number of confirmed coronavirus cases continue to rise in the UAE, an Emirati oncologist said “limited, but accumulating evidence” suggested that cancer patients were at a higher risk of infection.

Increased hospital exposure, advanced age and low immunity resulting from treatment, such as radiotherapy and targeted therapy, made them more vulnerable to the virus.

While global health authorities have advised that all essential cancer care should continue, some doctors have had to discuss treatment delays with individuals.

According to a research paper, A practical approach to the management of cancer patients during the Covid‐19 pandemic, cancer specialists suggest that postponing "elective surgery or chemotherapy" for patients with low risk disease progression should be considered on a case-by-case basis.

"In this review, we addressed some of the current challenges associated with managing cancer patients during the Covid-19 crises and provided some guidance and recommendations," Dr Humaid Al Shamsi, a consultant oncologist at Al Zahra Hospital in Dubai told The National.

“During a pandemic, the consent process [between patient and doctor] may change as the risk and benefit ratio may alter.

“Patients may face difficulties, including access to hospitalisation and deferred surgeries.

“[They] also need to know that anti-cancer therapy could carry greater risk during a pandemic.”

The research was published in The Oncologist medical journal earlier this month.

During a pandemic, the consent process [between patient and doctor] may change as the risk and benefit ratio may alter

Dr Al Shamsi co-authored the paper in collaboration with medical expert bodies in six countries including China, Singapore and the US.

As part of the research, he conducted a pilot study in Dubai and screened 85 asymptomatic patients with cancer during their workup and cancer treatment.

The results detected seven patients, or 8 per cent, with Covid-19 infection.

Since the outbreak, people fighting cancer have expressed concern about the treatment choices they need to make.

Dr Al Shamsi, who is also president of the Emirates Oncology Society, said individuals undergoing cancer treatment often have compromised immunities.

As a result, they were “more susceptible to acquiring infections” and it was less likely their bodies would be able to fight them.

In a normal setting, many cancer patients frequently visit the hospital for treatment and disease surveillance.

However, minimising outpatients’ visits and admissions could help mitigate exposure and possible further transmission, he said.

Dr Humaid Al Shamsi, consultant oncologist at Al Zahra Hospital in Dubai says patients need to know that anti-cancer therapy could carry greater risk during a pandemic. Courtesy: Al Zahra Hospital
Dr Humaid Al Shamsi, consultant oncologist at Al Zahra Hospital in Dubai says patients need to know that anti-cancer therapy could carry greater risk during a pandemic. Courtesy: Al Zahra Hospital

With the guidance of a consultant, patients could also be encouraged to make an “informed choice” about opting for less invasive treatment.

“Delaying elective surgical intervention may be more appropriate for select patients,” said Dr Al Shamsi.

“For example, early asymptomatic small breast cancer tumours detected on routine screening mammograms could be monitored closely until the pandemic is more controlled or over.”

According to their findings, he said 60 day delays in surgical intervention in early stage breast cancer was not associated with “worse oncological outcomes”.

However, one of the challenges in delaying elective surgery is the uncertainty regarding the end date of the pandemic.

In Dubai, he said there had been “many cases” of patients postponing or readjusting treatment plans.

“During a follow up evaluation, a patient recently diagnosed with breast cancer presented with a fever and her Covid-19 test came back positive,” he said.

“We have had to delay her treatment and now we are waiting for her to be cleared by a negative test to be able to resume her path to recovery.”

The coronavirus epidemic has put a huge strain on healthcare resources too, he said.

And that has had an impact on treatment planning for certain cancer diagnoses.

“Globally, access to hospital beds has been limited due to increased patient demand and potential staff shortages,” he said.

“In the UAE, cancer patients are being isolated from hospitals that have Covid-19 cases as they run a higher risk of infection if exposed to the virus.

“It is important for people with cancer and their family members to take steps to protect themselves, especially when it comes to frequent hand-washing.

“We recommend that you speak with your oncologist if you have concerns about your current immunity level as a result of current or previous cancer treatment.”

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ANDROID%20VERSION%20NAMES%2C%20IN%20ORDER
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ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Alaan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Parthi%20Duraisamy%20and%20Karun%20Kurien%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%247%20million%20raised%20in%20total%20%E2%80%94%20%242.5%20million%20in%20a%20seed%20round%20and%20%244.5%20million%20in%20a%20pre-series%20A%20round%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO

Liverpool 0

Stoke City 0

Man of the Match: Erik Pieters (Stoke)

How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
  1. Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
  2. Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
  3. Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
  4. Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
  5. Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
  6. The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
  7. Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269

*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Company profile

Name: Dukkantek 

Started: January 2021 

Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani 

Based: UAE 

Number of employees: 140 

Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service) 

Investment: $5.2 million 

Funding stage: Seed round 

Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office  

Aldar Properties Abu Dhabi T10

*November 15 to November 24

*Venue: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi

*Tickets: Start at Dh10, from ttensports.com

*TV: Ten Sports

*Streaming: Jio Live

*2017 winners: Kerala Kings

*2018 winners: Northern Warriors

CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

Brief scoreline:

Liverpool 5

Keita 1', Mane 23', 66', Salah 45' 1, 83'

Huddersfield 0

TV (UAE time);

OSN Sports: from 10am

'C'mon C'mon'

Director:Mike Mills

Stars:Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann, Woody Norman

Rating: 4/5

START-UPS%20IN%20BATCH%204%20OF%20SANABIL%20500'S%20ACCELERATOR%20PROGRAMME
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Perfect Couple

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor

Creator: Jenna Lamia

Rating: 3/5

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

It's Monty Python's Crashing Rocket Circus

To the theme tune of the famous zany British comedy TV show, SpaceX has shown exactly what can go wrong when you try to land a rocket.

The two minute video posted on YouTube is a compilation of crashes and explosion as the company, created by billionaire Elon Musk, refined the technique of reusable space flight.

SpaceX is able to land its rockets on land  once they have completed the first stage of their mission, and is able to resuse them multiple times - a first for space flight.

But as the video, How Not to Land an Orbital Rocket Booster, demonstrates, it was a case if you fail, try and try again.

As You Were

Liam Gallagher

(Warner Bros)

MATCH INFO

Manchester United 1 (Greenwood 77')

Everton 1 (Lindelof 36' og)

Defined benefit and defined contribution schemes explained

Defined Benefit Plan (DB)

A defined benefit plan is where the benefit is defined by a formula, typically length of service to and salary at date of leaving.

Defined Contribution Plan (DC) 

A defined contribution plan is where the benefit depends on the amount of money put into the plan for an employee, and how much investment return is earned on those contributions.

Bugatti Chiron Super Sport - the specs:

Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16 

Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto 

Power: 1,600hp

Torque: 1,600Nm

0-100kph in 2.4seconds

0-200kph in 5.8 seconds

0-300kph in 12.1 seconds

Top speed: 440kph

Price: Dh13,200,000

Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport - the specs:

Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16 

Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto 

Power: 1,500hp

Torque: 1,600Nm

0-100kph in 2.3 seconds

0-200kph in 5.5 seconds

0-300kph in 11.8 seconds

Top speed: 350kph

Price: Dh13,600,000

US tops drug cost charts

The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.

Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.

In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.

Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol. 

The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.

High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.

Company%20profile
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