Challenges faced in the cancer diagnosis and management—COVID-19 pandemic and beyond—Lessons for future

The COVID-19 pandemic with multiple waves of infection has caused panic and distress globally. Cancer patients being immuno-compromised are more susceptible to infection leading to increased morbidity and unpredictability of their survival. There has been a halt in the diagnosis and treatment of patients suffering from cancer because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Oncologists have the tedious task of assessing the urgency of managing cancer patients against the risk of Coronavirus infection. Timely diagnostic services along with the treatment strategy are needed for the proper management of cancer patients. Since the laboratories are already overwhelmed with the investigations related to the COVID-19 management, there has been a compromise and delay in the diagnosis, thus leading to an overall lag in the management of cancer patients.