Management of Covid-19 Pandemic in Radiation OncologyDepartment

5th International Medicine and Health Sciences Researches Congress, Ankara, Türkiye, 12 - 13 Aralık 2020, ss.395-396

Aim: It was aimed to evaluate the number of cases and preventions during the

Covid-19 pandemics in the Radiation Oncology Department of Akdeniz University.

Ġntroduction: SARS-CoV-2 infection first appeared in Wuhan, China, in December

2019. It has been named Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the World

Health Organization (WHO). The pandemic was declared on March 14, 2020.

Methods: The treatment of 602 patients was initiated in the department between 11

March 2020 and 25 November 2020. To reduce the contact and spread; it has

become mandatory for the personnel to use personal protective equipment. In line

with the recommendations of the Turkish Ministry of Health and WHO, all

employees were provided with mask, gloves, goggles, eyeshield and aprons. Daily

temperature measurement and symptom questioning of patients, relatives and staff

were made. Flexible working system was adopted in the first peak period of the

pandemic. The entrance and exits to the department are isolated from other

departments with the automated door control system. Ozone sterilization and daily

UV sterilization was applied to all rooms. After the treatment of each patient, the

Radiation Therapy devices were sterilized. Treatments of early stage breast, early

prostate cancer and low-grade glioma patients have been postponed. In palliative

cases, the application of the shortest hypofractionated regimens was preferred.

Informed consent forms have been updated. Covid PCR tests were performed on

patients before simulation. Results: The descriptive analyses and case numbers of

department staff and the patients who received Radiotherapy during the pandemic

are given in Table 1. Conclusion: It is very important to make effective decisions in

the management of pandemic processes in order to reduce transmission and not to

interrupt treatments. In addition to individual hygienic measures, it will be possible

to provide a better order in treatment processes by providing active immunization.

Keywords: Covid-19 Pandemic; Radiation Oncology Department; Radiotherapy