Cancer and Coronavirus (COVID-19)

If you have cancer, you might be worried about how coronavirus affects you. The most important thing is to follow the advice from the NHS and your healthcare team.

People with cancer may be at a higher risk of infection, so please follow the advice that will help reduce the risk of getting coronavirus (COVID-19). This page includes advice and information from the NHS and GOV.UK

It’s understandable that people with cancer may be feeling more anxious. We’re here if you need emotional help.

Following new guidance issued by the UK government on the 24th of March, we have updated our information.

• The Government has issued guidance for people who are at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) because of an underlying health conditions. Please visit GOV.UK website to see this guidance.
• If you live in a household with possible coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, you need to self-isolate. Please visit GOV.UK website for guidance on home isolation.
• There is new advice for everyone in the UK about social distancing and protecting older people and vulnerable people. Please visit GOV.UK website for guidance on social distancing

Some people with cancer and those who have received or are receiving certain treatments are more at risk of becoming seriously ill if they contract the COVID-19 infection: These are:

• people undergoing active chemotherapy;
• people having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer;
• people having other targeted cancer treatments which can affect the immune system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors;
• people having intensive (radical) radiotherapy for lung cancer;
• people who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last six months, or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs;
• people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma who are at any stage of treatment.

If you are in this category, the NHS will directly contact you with advice about the more stringent measures you should take in order to keep yourself and others safe. For now, you should rigorously follow the shielding measures outlined here:

• Strictly avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). These symptoms include high temperature and/or new and continuous cough.
• Do not leave your house, except to attend essential medical appointments (please speak to your hospital team to determine which appointments are absolutely essential).
• Do not attend any gatherings. This includes gatherings of friends and families in private spaces for example family homes, weddings and religious services.
• Do not go out for shopping, leisure or travel and, when arranging food or medication deliveries, these should be left at the door to minimise contact.
• Keep in touch using remote technology such as phone, internet and social media.
• Use telephone or online services to contact your GP or other essential services.

The detailed advice about social distancing can be found here.

Because of the level of social restriction now advised by the guidance for extremely vulnerable people, the criteria for cancer patients were carefully defined, based on those with greatest clinical risk. 

Hospital Trusts have however been advised that where they identify other patients who they consider to be at the very highest risk, they should write to them and, in each case, inform their GP that they have done so, so their records can be updated.

If someone has finished chemotherapy within the last 3 months, is unsure of their risk and what measures they should be taking, they should speak with their hospital specialist.  If this is not possible, they should contact their GP.

The criteria for cancer patients were carefully defined, based on those with greatest clinical risk.  If you are unsure of your risk and what measures you should be taking, you should speak with your hospital specialist. If this is not possible, you should contact your GP.

The criteria for cancer patients were carefully defined, based on those with greatest clinical risk.  Some cancer patients may receive a letter because they have other conditions that place them in the highest risk cohort.

If you are unsure of your risk and what measures you should be taking, you should speak with your hospital specialist.  If this is not possible, you should contact your GP.

• Only patients undergoing active chemotherapy for lung cancer?

  No. Everyone undergoing active chemotherapy is included.

• Patients with blood disorders who are immunocompromised but not receiving chemotherapy?

  Yes. These patients are included within ‘people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma who are at any stage of treatment’.

• Patients having radiotherapy for secondary (metastatic) lung tumours?

  Yes. These patients are included within ‘people with cancer who are undergoing radical radiotherapy for lung cancer’.

• Patients having any targeted treatments (more than just antibody treatments)? Would anti-angiogenesis targeted drugs fit into that?

  Yes, all these treatments carry excess risk and therefore people receiving these treatments would be included. These patients are included within ‘people having other targeted cancer treatments which can affect the immune system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors’.

• Transplant patients?

  Yes, if they have had a transplant within the last 6 months, and if they are taking any immunosuppression. These patients are included within ‘people who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last 6 months, or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs’.

• Patients autologous as well as allogeneic transplants in the last 6 months?

  Yes.

• All patients with rare diseases?

  No, how rare the disease is is not relevant. The issue is whether the disease significantly increases the risk of infection.  If a patient has a rare disease and that disease significantly increases their risk of infection, they will be included in the category of extremely vulnerable people.

Please visit GOV.UK website for guidance on home isolation.

Current government guidelines suggest those who need to home isolate are:

• People with symptoms that may be caused by coronavirus (COVID-19) and do not require hospital treatment.
• Those living in households with someone who shows symptoms that may be caused by coronavirus (COVID-19).

Your clinical team are best placed to talk with you about the effect on your treatment and appointments.  They will work with you to determine the best course of action in each individual situation.

There is extended guidance on staying at home if you or someone in your household think you have coronavirus.

Staying at home will help control the spread of the virus to friends, the wider community, and particularly the most vulnerable. The following may make it easier:

• Plan ahead and think about what you will need in order to be able to stay at home for the full 7 or 14 days.
• Think about and plan how you can get food and other supplies such as medications that you will need during this period.
• Ask friends, family or your employer if they can drop off anything you need.
• If you order supplies online, make sure these are left outside your home for you to collect.
• Keep in touch with friends, family and work colleagues over the phone or through social media.
• Think about things you can do during your time at home. People who have successfully completed a period of staying at home have kept themselves busy with activities such as cooking, reading, online learning and watching films.
• Plan in advance what you will do if someone in your household were to feel much worse, such as have difficulties breathing.
• Find some exercises you can do at home – If you go out to exercise you will need to keep a safe distance (two metres) from other people.
• If you are an employee and unable to work due to coronavirus, please refer to this guidance from the Department for Work and Pensions to find out about the support that is available to you.
• Staying at home for a prolonged period can be difficult, frustrating and lonely for some people and that you or other household members may feel low. It can be particularly challenging if you don’t have much space or access to a garden.
• It’s important to remember to take care of your mind as well as your body and to get support if you need it. Stay in touch with family and friends over the phone or on social media. There are also sources of support and information that can help, such as the Every Mind Matters website.

It is important that you seek clinical advice if you have a worrying symptom.  GP surgeries have been advised to offer online consultations and remote triage so that people do not have to attend in person unnecessarily. Please contact your GP surgery directly if you are worried about a possible cancer symptom.

Please discuss with the clinical team at the hospital. 

In the event of any disruption, hospitals will always make decisions to prioritise tests for those most in need.