Recommendations for the management of cancer patients requiring surgical treatment during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The following recommendations were developed by a multidisciplinary team and represent a guideline intended to guide the decision-making process for cancer patients requiring surgical treatment. The limited international scientific evidence and the low level of evidence suggest that any action should be taken by a Multidisciplinary Committee and evaluated on a case by case basis. These recommendations arise from publications that are generally expert opinions and consensus, given the limited experience in this situation and the lack of evidence based on prospective and randomized trials.

Based on the experience of other countries, it is reasonable to divide the pandemic into stages in order to act accordingly and according to the time of the pandemic. In this sense, the American College of Surgeons recommends stratifying the pandemic into phases, considering the number of patients infected and the availability of medical and hospital resources