Impacts of COVID-19 on cancer patients: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION: During the coronavirus pandemic, oncological patients, who are undergoing treatments in which the majority are immunosuppressant, have become a group very susceptible to severe forms of the infection. therefore, as a form of protection, their going to hospital environments were restricted, delaying diagnosis and compromising the effectiveness of treatments. OBJECTIVES: this study aims to analyze the scientific about the production of the theme cancer and COVID-19 in order to contribute with informations on the subject. METHODS: Systematic review of literature using the SciELO, LILACS and PubMed. the following keywords were used: "cancer" AND "COVID-19" according to the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and their translation to the Portuguese. Studies in English and Portuguese from inception were included. RESULTS: 1,606 studies were screened and 9 were included in the systematic review after using the inclusion and exclusion criterias. Among the central themes addressed by the selected studies are the pandemic impacts in areas of monitoring oncological patients, such as: treatment, telemedicine, reduction of employees in the care of cancer patients, reduction of clinical trials, reduction of financial resources, and psychological support to that population. CONCLUSION: the pandemic directly affected the way of life of this group, which suffered from a reduction in medical care and the resources available to them. therefore, there is a need to provide more specific care to these patients in such a delicate situation during the pandemic.