ESMO 2020 | Psychological consequence of COVID-19 on cancer patients

Florence Joly, MD, PhD, Centre François Baclesse, Caen, France, discusses a longitudinal study that was carried out during the COVID-19 lockdown period involving the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on management of medical cancer treatments and psychological consequence for the patients. Prof. Joly outlines how the treatments were modified, including teleconsultation and delay of immunotherapy. The study of the psycho-social impact of this period among the patients revealed a high level of stress induced in the patients by the circumstance and 25% of the patients had difficulties with sleep, these levels were even higher in patients who received modification of their treatment. This interview was recorded via an online conference call with The Video Journal of Oncology (VJOncology).