I want solid, up-to-date guidelines re: Covid-19 precautions.

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Tina2
Tina2 Member Posts: 2,943
edited June 2020 in Stage IV/Metastatic Breast Cancer ONLY

Covid-19 is still with us and may always be. We MBC-ers need medically authoritative guidelines for going into the future now that things are reopening.

I am "of an age," living with breast cancer metastisized to my lungs, treated with Fasodex and Ibrance. I have spent the last two months in self-protective isolation with my spouse, leaving the house only for shots and blood draws, short walks around the neighborhood and the very occasional grocery run. Yes, I wear a mask and wash my hands.

Now that things are starting to open up, I find myself wondering when I can rejoin society, such as it is. My spouse and I are starting to receive invitations to gatherings other than Zoom calls, events that are being dubbed "socially distant" dinners and the like. I am trepidacious about this because of my age--which I do not act or appear--and likely immunocompromised state. Theater and restaurant dining inside will be out of the question for anyone in this area for a long time. I would ask my MO, but I don't see him until the end of next month. At the beginning of all this, he told me only to avoid traveling on a crowded plane.

To make matters messier, only one close friend and my spouse know of my recent progression and new treatment. I have always kept my cancer diagnosis known to only a few and I would prefer to keep it that way for myriad reasons. This coming-out-of-quarantine situation has added a new wrinkle to my situation. I don't want to lie about perhaps needing to stay home longer than others, but I don't want to tell everyone I have cancer either. Guess I could always plead age. Thoughts?

And mods, if you're reading this, how about pulling together some straightforward, practical guidelines for us? Was this subject dealt with at ASCO?

Tina



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  • BevJen
    BevJen Member Posts: 2,523
    edited May 2020

    Tina,

    This was posted this morning on the COVID 19 thread -- it caught my eye and I read it. No specific guidelines, but clearly this is being discussed at ASCO, which is going on virtually this weekend. It kinda scared the bejesus out of me....

    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-science/coronavirus-infection-rate-may-shift-toward-younger-ages-death-risk-higher-in-cancer-patients-idUSKBN2352YB

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  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 12,424
    edited May 2020

    Tina,

    I would like clear guidelines as well but I am not sure that there is enough known about Covid19 to come up with something definitive at this point. My mo assured me that since I am not on immunosuppressive drugs and have been NED for a long time that I should just follow the recommenced precautions. Like many educators I am waiting to find out about what school will look like, in terms of the precautions that staff and students will have to take. Will that look different for me? I don’t think anyone knows and I think that knowledge will continue to evolve as more is learned about this virus

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  • Tina2
    Tina2 Member Posts: 2,943
    edited May 2020

    Exbrnxgrl,

    As knowledge is evolving, guidelines can be as well!

    Tina

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  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 12,424
    edited May 2020

    I agree but they evolve so quickly, which is good as we gain more knowledge, that today’s guidelines could be obsolete by tomorrow. I think back to March 13, the day school ended and what we knew at the time. This influenced how we moved in public, what we thought we knew about the virus and even the procedures for teachers entering the school campus. Almost all of it has changed in some way. I’m not holding out for solid guidelines at this time, so I will just have to go with fluid.

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  • gonegirl
    gonegirl Member Posts: 1,871
    edited June 2020

    This is a question for many. I have a friend with asthma and she is understandably unwilling to risk exposure. Even though my treatments don't affect my immune system, I've been much more likely to catch things since being hit with Taxol in 2012. I don't talk about cancer to most, but I do say I'm in a risk group.

    Mostly I'm home. Only recently did a social distance meal with two friends who have been equally quarantined. I may get a haircut but it will be outside, both of us masked. Hopefully 20 minutes or less. Washington Post had a good article on what to do

    Wondering what's safe as states start to reopen? Here's what some public health experts say.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcom...


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  • moth
    moth Member Posts: 4,800
    edited June 2020

    A lot depends on how much community transmission there is in your area and how many cases total - ie are you in a hot zone or not. If there are a fair number of commmunity cases then as we open up the risk to us from gatherings is greater than it was during lockdown as people around us are more likely to be exposed, and expose us before they develop symptoms.

    I'm maintaining protective self isolation right now.

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  • QT314
    QT314 Member Posts: 29
    edited June 2020

    https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(20)31173-9.pdf

    This is an interesting study in the Lancet re the mortality of patients form Covid-19 on chemo and other anticancer treatment wherein the authors' findings suggest that the mortality from Covid is primarily influenced by age, gender (males) and other non-cancer comorbidities rather than anticancer treatment. Note that 43% of patients were metastatic. This study is not specifically of breast cancer patients but does include them. The study does not address overall incidence of Covid in cancer patients but the number of cases was low which they attributed to effective social distancing.

    Maybe we can breathe a little easier but not become complacent.

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  • Tina2
    Tina2 Member Posts: 2,943
    edited June 2020

    Thank you, QT314. This is interesting!

    Tina

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  • Moissy
    Moissy Member Posts: 550
    edited June 2020

    Thanks for that study, QT314. I have been hoping to see some research on this topic. Very interesting.

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