Courtney Dinardo, MD from MD Anderson Cancer Center discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected rare disease patients, particularly in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients.
AML is an aggressive cancer of the blood and bone marrow with a 5-year survival rate of only 28%. AML is particularly lethal for older AML patients who often cannot tolerate intensive chemotherapy.
Dinardo speaks to the concern she and other physicians have regarding current international research which suggests that COVID-19 is especially dangerous for cancer patients. With that said, Dinardo asserts that MD Anderson is still treating its leukemia patients as usual.
For more information about AML and other rare cancers, visit https://checkrare.com/diseases/cancers/