Coronavirus (COVID-19) and cancer treatment
The coronavirus pandemic has caused doctors to change how people have cancer treatments. This might include having treatment as tablets instead of a drip. Many people have also been receiving treatment at different centres.
You might be worried about your cancer treatment, care and support. Hospital staff will ensure you have your treatment safely to protect you against coronavirus.
How do doctors decide about my treatment plan?
Treatment risks and benefits
When you start cancer treatment, your doctors weigh up the risks and benefits of treatment. They will discuss these with you. This will include how coronavirus affects the treatments you should have.
Treatment risks relating to coronavirus include:
- how your cancer treatments affect your
immune system 
. You're more at risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 if your immune system is weak after treatment or if you have a blood cancer - other medical conditions - some of these include diabetes, heart disease or long-term breathing problems
- other factors – some of these include older age, being very overweight (obese), male sex, ethnicity (South Asian, Black and people with mixed ethnicity), mental health problems, smoking, having certain disabilities and vaccination status
- exposure to the virus during hospital visits. Your team might look at how you have your treatment to reduce your hospital visits
Treatment benefits usually refer to the aim of your treatment.
Your treatment might aim to:
- cure your cancer
- lower the chance of your cancer coming back
- help you live longer with your cancer
- control symptoms so you are more comfortable
Your doctors will weigh up the treatment benefits with the risks of treatment. They will discuss this with you.
Is it safe to go to the hospital?
Healthcare teams are taking care to reduce any risks and to make it as safe as possible for you to visit the hospital. They are following strict infection control measures to keep you and themselves safe.
Ways hospitals make you visit safer include:
- asking you to come to your appointments on your own
- texting you when they're ready to see you so you don't have to wait around inside the hospital
- offering you appointments over the telephone
- delivering medicines to your home, or finding other places for you to pick up medicines
- asking you to wear a mask if you are vulnerable, have respiratory symptoms - such as coughing, sneezing or a sore throat, or are accompanying someone with symptoms
- asking you to complete a questionnaire or answer questions to check that you do not have symptoms
- practising social distancing
- asking you to wash your hand and use hand gel before and after an appointment
- testing you for coronavirus before you are admitted to the hospital
Having cancer treatment
Some cancer drugs affect the more than others. Your doctor can tell you whether your treatment increases your risk of becoming ill with COVID-19.
They might plan your cancer drug treatment so you have fewer visits to the hospital. This will lower your risk of being exposed to and catching the coronavirus.
They might look at how you have your treatment. For example, you can have some drugs as a tablet or injection under the skin. You might be able to have this at home instead of coming to the hospital.
For some targeted cancer drugs or , you might be able to have a longer break between treatment cycles.
Chemotherapy at home
Some people having chemotherapy might have treatment at home. This is so you don't need to go into hospital to have treatment. Having chemotherapy this way will help to reduce the chances of you being exposed to coronavirus. Your medical team will tell you whether this is possible for you.
What do I do if I am on treatment and develop symptoms of COVID-19?
Some of the symptoms of coronavirus can be similar to the side effects of cancer treatment. This can make it hard to know what is causing them. The symptoms of coronavirus include:
-
a high temperature of 37.8C or above and, or
-
a new continuous cough. This means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours. If you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual
-
a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell. This means you can't smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal
Other symptoms include:
- shortness of breath
- tiredness or feeling exhausted
- an aching body
- a headache
- a sore throat
- a blocked or runny nose
- loss of appetite
- diarrhoea
- feeling sick or being sick
If you have cancer treatment or a cancer that affects your immune system, you should reach out for support when you:
- have symptoms of coronavirus
- feel unwell
You can contact:
- your chemotherapy helpline
- the Acute Oncology Service at your hospital
Your healthcare team will assess you over the phone and might ask you to stay at home.
Your doctor will assess your risk of being exposed to the coronavirus at your hospital visits. But for most people treatment continues as normal.
Your treatment
To lower the risk of spreading the coronavirus, your team may ask you to come to your appointments on your own. They will also try to reduce the amount of time you spend in the radiotherapy department.
Stereotactic radiotherapy (SABR)
NHS England has been bringing forward the use of stereotactic radiotherapy (SABR) due to the coronavirus. SABR is a treatment for some types of cancers. It is also a treatment for cancers that have spread (metastases) and where you have 3 or fewer metastases. This type of radiotherapy uses fewer doses than conventional radiotherapy. It might mean radiotherapy could be an option whereas before it would not have been.
So, your visits to the hospital will be fewer. You could have 3, 5 or 8 radiotherapy treatments instead of 20 to 30. Fewer visits will help to reduce the chances of you being exposed to coronavirus. Talk to your medical team to hear if you can have this treatment and whether it is available at your hospital. If it is not available and your situation is suitable, you could be referred elsewhere to discuss it.
Can I continue radiotherapy if I have COVID-19?
You might be able to continue with your radiotherapy treatment even if you have COVID-19. This will depend on your situation. The radiotherapy team will follow strict guidance on infection control. This is to protect themselves and other radiotherapy patients.
Your surgeon will discuss with you the risks of catching COVID-19 around the time of your operation. For example, having a big operation and having a cancer diagnosis increases the risk of complications from coronavirus infection. This can be even if you have no symptoms.
You may be asked to isolate for a number of days before surgery. It is important to try and stay as active as possible before surgery. We have more information on how to prepare for treatment (prehabilitation).
Coronavirus infection in the 7 weeks before cancer surgery may have an important effect on how well you recover. With some operations, this risk is greater than the benefit of having surgery. Your surgeon will discuss with you the risk for your type of cancer.
This might mean that your surgery is delayed. Or they might suggest another type of treatment.
It is important that you have your coronavirus vaccines before surgery. Your last dose should be at least 2 weeks before having your operation.
Prioritising patients
The specialist surgical associations in the UK have developed a guide for the prioritisation of cancer surgery. They are experts in treating your cancer. The guide splits patients into 4 priority levels. Your team will consider how risky it would be in your situation to delay surgery and then decide your surgery’s priority level. The priority levels are:
- Priority 1a - you need emergency surgery within 24 hours because you have life threatening complications caused by your cancer.
- Priority 1b - you need urgent surgery within 72 hours because your cancer is about to cause life threatening complications.
- Priority 2 - your cancer is at a stage and/or of a type where you can have surgery within 4 weeks without affecting your overall outlook (prognosis).
- Priority 3 - your cancer is at a stage and/or of a type where you can have surgery in up to 12 weeks without affecting your overall outlook (prognosis).
- Priority 4 - your cancer is at a stage and/or of a type where you can have surgery after 12 weeks without affecting your overall outlook (prognosis). Having to wait 12 weeks or more for surgery might sound worrying, but your cancer multidisciplinary team (MDT) will review you regularly. They will move you to a higher priority if the results from tests or examinations show it is necessary.
Where will I have my surgery?
You might have your surgery at your local treatment centre. But you might go to a different hospital for your surgery. This is because some hospitals have formed cancer surgery hubs.
If you have surgery at a different centre, your current cancer specialist will remain in charge of your overall care. You should contact them or your specialist nurse if you have any questions about your care.
and CAR T-cell therapies are used to treat a variety of cancers. CAR T-cell therapy is a very complex treatment where a specialist collects and makes a small change to your T cells.
You have the stem cells or CAR T-cells after high doses of chemotherapy. This is also called preconditioning chemotherapy. The chemotherapy stops your from making enough .
White blood cells are part of your . They protect the body against illness and infection such as viruses like coronavirus. Low levels of white blood cells put you at higher risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 after a stem cell transplant or CAR T-therapy.
If you're due to have a stem cell transplant or CAR T-therapy
Your healthcare team will look at your individual situation. They will then decide whether your transplant or CAR T-therapy should go ahead as planned. They will weigh up the risks of delaying your treatment against the risks of becoming ill with COVID-19. They will also consider all your treatment options.
Before your treatment
If you are going to have a stem cell transplant or CAR T-therapy, your healthcare team will:
- tell you how to lower your risk of getting COVID-19 infection and other types of infections for the two weeks before your transplant or CAR T-therapy
- test you for COVID-19 and other airway infections 3 to 7 days before and on the day of your admission to hospital
Your stem cell treatment or CAR T-therapy might be delayed if:
- you have been in contact with someone with coronavirus in the week before your admission
- someone you live with has developed COVID-19
This might be for 2 to 3 weeks, but your team will discuss your risk with you. They will also tell you what tests you might need and how your treatment might be affected.
Your team will delay your treatment if you have a positive PCR test before your transplant or CAR T-therapy. This will be until you have had 3 negative PCR tests. Each of these tests needs to be at least 7 days apart.
If you have moderate or severe symptoms of COVID-19, your transplant or CAR T-therapy will be delayed. This will be until you have fully recovered. It may be for at least 3 months.
You may need to repeat some of the tests you have already had as part of your treatment workup. This could include a:
- CT scan
- heart test (an ECG or an ECHO)
- lung function tests
If you've had a stem cell transplant or CAR T-therapy
When in hospital for a stem cell transplant or CAR T-therapy, the healthcare team looks after you in protective isolation. They follow strict guidance on infection control. This is to try and protect you from infection.
If you’ve just had your stem cell transplant or CAR T-therapy, your period of protecting yourself against infection starts from the day of discharge from hospital. It will last for at least 3 months, and possibly longer. It will depend on your individual circumstances. Your team will give you advice on what to do.
Shielding advice has now been withdrawn across the UK. Instead, anyone considered at very high risk of complications from COVID-19 is advised to discuss ways to protect themselves with their healthcare team.
You are at very high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 if you have:
- had a transplant using your own stem cells (an autologous stem cell transplant) in the last 6 months
- had a transplant using donor stem cells (an allogeneic transplant) in the last year
- had CAR T-therapy
- are on drugs that suppress your immune system (immunosuppressants) after a transplant
- have graft versus host disease (GVHD) or an ongoing weak immune system after a transplant
Contact your healthcare team for further advice if you are uncertain.
Your cancer treatment might be part of a . Earlier during the coronavirus outbreak, some clinical trials for cancer patients stopped recruiting new patients. But most clinical trials are now continuing.
Do I need to isolate or have a test for coronavirus before or during my treatment?
Your hospital will have specific guidelines in place to protect you and others from getting or spreading the coronavirus during treatment. How you need to prepare for tests or treatment may vary between hospitals.
Before tests or scans
Follow the advice from your hospital. Some hospitals might ask you to isolate before your appointment.
Surgery
Follow the advice from your hospital about what you need to do before you have surgery. The team caring for you might ask you to:
- isolate for a few days before a planned hospital admission - including day surgery or any other procedure under sedation or under a general anaesthetic
- isolate for a few days after surgery to help reduce the risk of complications - having even mild COVID-19 after surgery can cause problems, especially from coughing
- have a coronavirus (COVID-19) test before a planned hospital admission or on admission if it's an emergency. Your hospital will tell you more about the test. They might send it to you in the post. You may wish to do your own test at home on the morning of your admission. If you test positive, let your hospital know and ask for advice about rescheduling your operation
Chemotherapy
Follow the advice from your hospital. You might have a COVID-19 swab test 48 to 72 hours (up to 3 days) before going for your treatment in the chemotherapy unit.
This means you might have the swab test on the same day that you visit the hospital for blood tests and your doctor's clinic appointment. If you have treatment weekly or more often, some hospitals will ask you to have the swab test on the day of treatment.
Check with your team about when you'll have the test as there are some differences between hospitals.
Radiotherapy
Follow the advice from your hospital. You may have a COVID-19 swab test when you attend for your planning CT scan or prior to your first treatment of radiotherapy. You will have further swab tests while attending treatment.
COVID-19 swab test
To have the COVID-19 swab test your nurse takes a sample from the inside of your nose and the back of your throat. They use a long cotton bud to take the sample. It can take a few days to get a result.
Some hospitals might ask you to do a home COVID-test a few days before attending for a procedure. They will send you a home test kit with instructions on what to do.
Coping with waiting to get a diagnosis or to start treatment
There have been several reports in the media about delays in getting a diagnosis of cancer or starting treatment. In most cases, delays happen because the NHS is trying to catch up with the changes caused by coronavirus. But hearing this is bound to add to your anxiety around your diagnosis and needing treatment.
Apart from feeling anxious, it is understandable that you might also feel let down or disappointed by the health service. All this can add to your anger of having to deal with cancer. There is no right or wrong way to feel during this time.
It might help to remember that NHS staff are working around the clock to clear the backlog. Teams are working hard to make sure you get the best treatment as soon and as safely as possible. Cancer Research UK is also continuing to campaign the government and NHS on cancer services.
What you can do
To help you feel more in control of your health during this period of waiting, try to focus on three aspects of your health:
- eat a varied diet
- be physically active
- look after your mental wellbeing
This advice might feel like the last thing you’d like to do if you’re feeling very anxious. But it can help you to feel more in control of your physical and mental health. You can cope better during treatment and recover better by feeling more in control.
Help and support
You can call our nurse freephone helpline on 0808 800 4040. They are available from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Or you can send them a question online.
Cancer Chat is our online forum where you can share experiences.
There are different charities and organisations that offer online support or telephone support:
- Mind, the mental health charity has advice about coping.
- Every mind matters, is a NHS website offering information and support to help you keep well.
- NHS wellbeing apps can help you to support yourself during difficult moments.
Getting the most out of your telephone appointment
You're may have some telephone appointments with your specialist doctor, rather than seeing them in the hospital.
When you speak to the doctor, it can be difficult to remember everything you want to say. And it can be difficult to remember everything they say, especially on the phone.
There are things you can do before and during your appointment with your doctor to make it easier. The video below has tips on what to do to get the most out of your appointment.
if you notice a change that isn't normal for you
contact your doctor when you speak to the doctor's receptionist
they may offer you a phone or video appointment
ask the receptionist what will happen
and check roughly when the doctor will call you
that they have the right telephone number for you
and what number the doctor will call you
from what to do if you can't connect or
get cut off during the call
let them know if you might have problems
with phone or video
try practicing a call with a friend or family member
make sure you're close to the phone or
computer around the time of the
appointment so you don't miss the call
before the call write down your symptoms
and when they started
how often you have them and if anything
makes them better or worse
so you have info the doctor might need
write down any questions you want to ask as well
take the call somewhere quiet where you won't be disturbed
and maybe ask someone to listen into the call with you
for support they can help ask questions
and help you remember what the doctor says
tell your doctor if you're worried about cancer and
ask them to explain anything you don't
understand and about what will happen next
you could write down the information so you don't forget
remember if your symptoms don't go away or get worse
contact your doctor again get more advice
at cruk.org spot cancer early
- Let your medical team know if you prefer a telephone or video call, or would like a face to face appointment.
- Let your team know in advance if you're hard of hearing or need an interpreter.
- Ask for a timeslot when your doctor will call you.
- Find a quiet part of the house to take the call. If you have children in the house, you might want to think about where they are when you have your conversation.
- Start with a phone call if you’re not confident with a video call.
- Ask for help if you need it and, if possible, practise a video call with a friend.
- Write down a list of questions before the call, and think about what you want to find out from the doctor (see ‘Questions you might want to ask your GP’)
- Ask someone to listen in for support.
- Do make sure you are close to your phone or computer around the time of your appointment as people often miss telephone calls from their doctor. Your doctor's call might not always be at the exact time of your appointment due to delays in their clinic.
- If you have someone listening in for support, put your phone on loudspeaker to do this. They could also ask questions and help you remember what the doctor says.
- Tell your doctor if you are worried about anything in particular.
- Ask the doctor who you can call if you have any further questions after your phone appointment.
- Ask them to explain anything you don't understand.
- Ask your doctor to summarise what the next steps are.
You will probably have some questions about your cancer treatment and the risk of COVID-19. Here are some suggestions for questions you might want to ask your doctor:
- What are the risks to me if I catch COVID-19?
- How does my cancer treatment affect my risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19?
- Are there any changes you can make to my treatment to lower the risk of getting COVID-19 or becoming seriously ill if I do get it?
- What should I do if I, or someone I live with, gets COVID-19?
- Will my treatment continue if I have confirmed or suspected COVID-19?
- My treatment has been delayed - how long will this be for, and when can I expect to have the treatment?
- Will a delay to my treatment affect how well my treatment will work (the prognosis)?
- My treatment is now at a different hospital - will you still treat me or will I see another doctor?
- Can you explain the reasons for making changes to my treatment plan?
Travelling to hospital
There are some things you can do to lower your risk of catching coronavirus:
- Try to avoid public transport and travel to hospital by car where possible
- Ask a friend or family member to drive you if you can't drive.
- Try to practise social distancing with the person driving you. Sit as far away as possible from them.
- Wear a face covering.
- Avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes.
- Wash your hands where possible or use a hand sanitiser gel before, during and after the journey.
Hospital transport
Your hospital might be able to provide hospital transport. This is if you are unable to travel by yourself or find someone to drive you. The transport service will have safety and cleaning procedures in place. They will try to protect you from coronavirus. Talk to your healthcare team or the transport service at your hospital to find out more.
