ANN ARBOR As overwhelmed healthcare systems across the country continue to grapple with COVID-19, thousands of cancer patients have had surgeries and other treatments postponed during the health crisis.
Drawing on large, national cancer data sets, the OncCOVID app helps assess what risks a patient faces from receiving immediate treatment versus delayed treatment based on their individual characteristics.
The app also takes into consideration the impact of COVID-19 on that individuals local community.
But each time a cancer patient goes to the hospital to receive care, theyre also putting themselves at higher risk of contracting COVID-19.
A series of factors may contribute to the decision by a care provider to recommend delaying or proceeding with cancer treatment, including their capacity to treat local cancer patients safely during the pandemic.