Up-to-date COVID-19 resources for health professionals in cancer care.
The global COVID-19 pandemic is an evolving situation. Updates to this page will be made as the situation develops.
Of note:
- COVID-19 testing (SARS-CoV-2) is recommended for people who meet both criteria:
- Have a new or worsening symptoms compatible with COVID-19, and
- Where COVID-19 testing is clinically indicated (that is, where a positive result would impact treatment of care), such as for hospitalized people of any age, pregnant people, and people who are eligible for treatment including clinically extremely vulnerable patients with cancer:
- A PCR test may be preferred in specific circumstances such as for variant surveillance. A PCR test is indicated for testing of patients in acute care settings.
- Positive rapid antigen test (RAT) results are acceptable for initiating treatment and no confirmatory testing is required for outpatients. If a RAT is negative and clinical suspicion remains high, patients may repeat a RAT or clinicians can order PCR testing which is available with a provider order at hospital labs around the province.
This document is intended as a guidance document to provide recommendations for determining priority for consultation, assessment, and treatment of patients with cancer in the event that the COVID-19 outbreak disrupts access to health care resources.
These guidelines are organized by tumour site and make recommendations regarding how patients should be treated in light of cancer surgery delays or cancellations.
The purpose of this document is to provide tumour group recommendation on prioritization level appropriate alterations in treatment for each indication if a centre needs to start restricting access to particular priority.
There will be circumstances where prescribers may need to self-isolate and are not able to be on site at the regional cancer centres to order systemic treatments. The BC Cancer Remote Ordering of Systemic Therapy Policy outlines the requirements for safe remote ordering of systemic therapy treatment.
This is a process for exceptional circumstances.
Please see webpage Remote Ordering of Systemic Therapy for further information on this process and speak to your regional cancer centre operations team.
BC Cancer health professionals with questions about the content on this page may email the BC Cancer communications department.
