Corona and Cancer .. Expert advice to America to prevent and strengthen immunity

Dr.. Basil Al-Atassi *

With the emergence of the emerging Corona virus (Covid-19) around the world and infection cases recorded in most countries, and with the classification by the World Health Organization as a global pandemic, the impact of this epidemic on cancer patients and workers in the area of ​​treatment and follow-up must be demonstrated.

For a start, the coronaviruses that belong to the "Covid-19" virus are a large group of viruses that may cause disease in animals and humans. A number of coronaviruses are known to cause human respiratory infections that range from common colds to more severe diseases, such as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

Covid-19 is an infectious disease caused by the recently discovered Coronavirus. There was no knowledge of this virus and this emerging disease before its outbreak in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.

One of the things we know about Corona Virus is that it is relatively large, it cannot penetrate the simple masks available, as well as it is relatively heavy, so it falls to the ground and surfaces of objects and does not fly in the air over great distances.

Also we know that the Corona virus does not cause cancer. As for the cause of ill health of corona sufferers and the death of some of them, it is mainly pulmonary infections that may reach severe acute respiratory syndrome and respiratory system disruption.

More likely
But patients with cancer who are undergoing chemical or immunological treatments, directed oral medications, radiotherapy or those who undergo bone marrow transplantation, are more likely than others to be infected with the infectious virus, and this is mainly due to the weakness of the immune system in many of them, so care and caution must be taken.

In a recent study - published in the American journal Lancet last February - about two thousand people infected with the virus in China from more than 500 hospitals, it was found that cancer patients had symptoms of the Corona virus more severe than other patients and their condition was more serious, as was the possibility of developing their condition To higher critical stages than other patients.

It should be noted that this sample of patients is small, so it is difficult to draw conclusions from it, compared to studies where the numbers of patients are greater.

The study stated that one of the main reasons why cancer patients are more at risk is immune suppression, whether from cancer itself or from treatments given to a cancer patient, some of which inhibit its immune system.

In addition, most cancer patients are usually old, and also because many cancer patients - especially lung cancer - are smokers. All of these factors increase the risk of developing Crohn's disease in the patient to a critical stage.

General prevention tips for all people

1- Precaution must be taken when contacting impure furniture or other people's electronic devices. The surfaces of these objects are among the main causes that have been found to transmit corona infection.

2- Maintaining personal hygiene very well, such as washing hands with lukewarm water and soap for at least twenty seconds, and emphasizing extreme cleaning of the fingertips, as touching the face and eyes is done through the fingertips.

3- Wipe hands with alcohol sterilizers several times a day.

4- Cover the mouth during sneezing as the spray spreads.

5- Avoid shaking hands or touching the bodies of others.

6- Avoid crowded meetings and crowded public places.

7- Postponing travel except in cases of necessity.

8- Keep a safe distance between people.

9- Avoid anyone with high fever or respiratory symptoms.

Corona Cancer Prevention Tips

In addition to the previous directions, cancer patients are advised to:

1- Cancer patients usually have many visits to their doctors, oncology clinics and treatment centers to receive periodic doses, all of these matters make them more vulnerable to contact with others, so care must be taken by them and by their doctors, so it is preferable that they have a private entrance separate from the rest of the patients and avoid crowded public portals .

2- Avoid visiting restaurants in and outside the hospital.

3- Sterilize what is around them at home, clinic and hospital.

4- Wipe the patient rooms with wet alcohol wipes after each patient.

5- Workers in the field of treating cancer patients, including doctors, nurses, and assistants, must maintain a greater and more than usual habitual hygiene of the place, benches and equipment.

6- Chemical treatments may be postponed in some patients after consulting their specialist physicians.

7- Stable cases of cancer patients and those who are not under treatment, it is better to postpone them to visit clinics and hospitals and replace them by phone call or consult a doctor via the Internet (Telemedicine).

In addition to the previous preventive methods, I would like to provide some advice to cancer patients and others that help in strengthening the body, the most important of which are:

1- Good nutrition and eating healthy food.

2- Reducing excess sugars and unhealthy foods. The health of the digestive system is one of the most important factors in the human immune system’s strength.

3- Comfortable sleep and enough hours every day.

4- Light sport, walking in the open air on a daily basis, and exposure to sunlight.

5- Avoid smoking completely and stay away from smokers.

6- Avoid the causes of sadness, psychological depression, isolation, panic, fear and excessive tension.

7- Being cheerful, optimistic, and satisfied. Mental health is safe from the safety and immunity of the human body.

With an emphasis on the necessity of listening to the specialized doctors and following their instructions, taking the reasons and being patient and seeing the field of hope and optimism for good.
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* Dr. Basil Al-Atassi holds the American Board in Hematology and Oncology and is an assistant professor of clinical medicine at the College of Medicine in Chicago, USA.