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Objective: This study aims to analyze the Covid 19 pandemic effect on the cancer patients being treated for radiation therapy and to devise a pandemic preparedness plan for Radiation Oncology department together with the hospital staff catering these cancer patients. Methods: This study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital to devise and explore strategic management of radiotherapy in the covid-19 pandemic. All the methods that lead to an optimized treatment were adapted, minimizing the risk of covid-19 infection to both staffs as well as patients. Results: Since March 2020 to March 2021, 1346 cancer patients were treated in our hospital, out of which 50 patients who had Covid-19 like symptoms were advised to go for RT-PCR Covid-19 screening during treatment, and among them 10 patients were declared positive for Covid-19, rest declared negative. The treatment of the Covid-19 patients was suspended till they came negative for Covid-19 and responded well to the rest course of radiation therapy. Two Covid-19 positive patients expired before the completion of treatment. The treatment regime of940 patients was altered to avoid the duration of exposure to Covid-19 in the hospital, keeping in view the type and aggressiveness of the tumor. Also, the treatment of 16 patients with lung carcinoma was deferred to prevent Radiation-induced pneumonia that would have made them susceptible to Covid-19 infection. They were put on alternative systemic therapies during the deferred period to justify the benefit vs. risk ratio. Conclusion: Following the principle of Radiotherapy i.e. "exert all the efforts to retain the planned irradiation schedule" to avoid disease progression we have made all efforts to achieve this goal and successfully delivering radiation therapy to cancer patients during the pandemic. Various recommendations issued worldwide by reputed agencies to manage the radiotherapy treatment were adapted initially and later during the course of time we have designed a Covid pandemic preparedness plan for radiation oncology which could potentially be a handy help to the institutions catering the most vulnerable class of patients-patients fighting with cancer [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the detection of COVID-19 whole world is continuously facing dreadful effects physically, mentally, and economically. Although every patient was affected biggest setback was for cancer patients, who found double trouble as the situation was getting worsened with rising toll and the sudden lockdown. In starting phase of this pandemic, dealing with novel coronavirus with limited resources and lack of training was complicated for the health care staff. Management of patients with proper moral support, especially cancer patients who are already immune-compromised it was a difficult task for the oncologists and the entire team. In this pandemic duration management of radiotherapy patients not only affected the functionality of the entire radiotherapy department but somewhere created mental pressure on oncologists, medical physicists, technologists, and other staff regarding their safety also. Aim: Aim of this study to understand the ethical issues in the radiotherapy department observed during COVID-19 and the impact ofCOVID-19 on radiotherapy staff. Material and methods: This study is based on a rapid review of literature from various Scopus and SCI journals. In this time of crisis, not only patients undergoing treatment but also healthcare staff have been affected due to meager knowledge of fatal corona virus and lack of armamentarium. This pandemic time has created many professional difficulties and ethical issues like the selection of patients for the treatment, their safety, patient management. The situation was getting worsened with increasing toll but at right time lockdown was imposed. Guidelines were prescribed by the government from time to time. The government offered bit relief for the cancer patients by announcing no shutdown for OPD for the cancer patients in prescribed guidelines. However social distancing, N-95 mask, and PPE kit showed some ray of hope to revive back the system. Since radiotherapy is a daycare treatment process, in the daily fractionation procedure of radiation many problems were faced by the patients in lockdown. Also, in every domain of the radiotherapy department radiation oncologists, medical physicists, technologists, and other staff has faced a lot of problems. Conclusion: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged everyone. Global connectivity helped a lot in the development of strategies in dealing with this deadly COVID-19 in the healthcare sector. Good practice during COVID-19 by many radiotherapy departments is not only successfully able to reduce the infection spread among patients, medical staff without compromising the quality of treatment. There must be some guidelines or strategies on the departmental /institutional level which can be followed in such a crisis and can be beneficial for others also. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this article is to explore the ethical challenges in the treatment of cancer patients at a tertiary care hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: The paper is based on empirical observations apart from a systematic literature review of secondary data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) Novel Corona virus website and central databases like Embase, Scopus and Medline. This paper will discuss the bio-ethics perspective and issues in cancer healthcare management during the Covid-19 pandemic and shall serve as a knowledge base for medical practitioners in general and people related to oncology in particular. Results: The Covid-19 pandemic has been equally challenging for all including patients, healthcare workers and policy makers. Understanding the ethical responsibilities and rational behaviours is critically important for every person facing this challenge. It is possible to emerge victorious from the Covid-19 pandemic in a dignified manner only when the standards of ethics are well understood are held high by the general public, patients, doctors, hospital staff and policy makers equally. Conclusion: Since the oncology patients are immune compromised, they need more attention during the Covid-19 pandemic as they are susceptible to worst of the outcomes of Covid-19 infection. In light of limited resources at a tertiary care hospital where the administration has to look after the other departments as well, it is extremely important to explore, understand and practice the bio-ethical perspective of the cancer healthcare management during the Covid-19 pandemic as the ethical aspects can easily get neglected in a pandemic like Covid-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]