Icon Radiation Oncologist Dr Minjae Lah recently appeared live on the Icon Cancer Centre Facebook page, where she answered questions from cancer patients, survivors, families and caregivers about COVID-19 and radiation therapy. Dr Lah was joined by Icon Group Medical Director Dr Ian Irving.
Throughout the video, Dr Lah answered a variety of questions from our patients, including:
- 2.18 – Will I be able to continue my radiation therapy treatment if we go into lockdown? Will Icon centres remain open during a lockdown?
- 3.46 – Will patients still be able to access palliative radiation therapy during this time?
- 5.06 – How can patients, particularly cancer patients and those over 70 who are being strongly advised to practice social isolation, speak to their specialist or radiation oncologist at the moment?
- 6.02 – Are all Icon radiation oncologists offering telehealth and how is it done in practice?
- 8.50 – Should people be splitting their radiation therapy and having a hiatus of a couple of weeks before finishing, or is that not advised?
- 12.10 – What happens if someone is having radiation therapy treatment and they contract COVID-19? Would that mean they have to stop treatment?
- 13.19 – I’ve had radiation therapy in the past. Could my immune system still be compromised and put me at a higher risk of COVID-19?
- 15.22 – What about patients who receive radiation therapy treatment to the lungs? Are they at an increased risk from COVID-19?
- 16.46 – I’m concerned about COVID-19 and putting myself at risk every time I have to travel from home to the centre. How can I minimise my risk of COVID-19 while attending my appointments?
- 18.47 – What has Icon done to reduce the risk of patients catching COVID-19?
- 20.06 – Can patients contract COVID-19 from an asymptomatic carrier (someone who doesn’t show symptoms)?
- 22.29 – I’ve had treatment for lymphoma which involved immunochemotherapy as well as radiation therapy, and I’m concerned whether my immune system will have the ability to fight off COVID-19. Should I be self-isolating?
- 25.26 – I’m 74 and have had breast cancer and a few other medical problems including heart disease. Given my age, would I be suitable for radiation therapy during this time of COVID-19?
- 27.45 – Can I get a tattoo while I’m going through radiation therapy?