Coronavirus: Cancer patients should not be 'back of the queue'

A charity has said cancer patients should not be put to the "back of the queue" because of coronavirus.

Brain Tumour Research was commenting after a woman was told her chemotherapy for a brain tumour would be delayed.

Lisa Brassington, from Baildon, West Yorkshire, was told she could not begin treatment until July.

The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said it was reviewing all cancer patients who may be at risk of contracting coronavirus.

Ms Brassington was diagnosed with a low-grade oligodendroglioma tumour in 2011. The 51-year-old completed treatment in 2019 and believed the tumour had stopped growing.

At a MRI scan in March it emerged it had started to grow again and her oncology team determined she needed another round of chemotherapy.

"Because of the coronavirus I am unable to have it immediately," she said.

As chemotherapy significantly weakens the immune system, Ms Brassington accepted there would be a health risk if she underwent treatment now.

"I would love it to start tomorrow, but its just so risky," she said.

"I am not angry. No-one is to blame for coronavirus."

Hugh Adams, from Brain Tumour Research, said he was sure clinicians were acting in the best interests of patients, but added: "We must not put people to the back of the queue and we must still continue to treat cancer patients, continue giving them the treatment they need to beat the disease.

"The world hasn't stopped in terms of clinical care just because of Covid."

The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said clinicians were reviewing all cancer patients to balance delaying chemotherapy with the risk of contracting Covid-19.

It added: "Where the risks outweigh the benefits patients are advised not to commence chemotherapy."

It said the decisions were reviewed on a regular basis.

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