Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic introduced a global distraction effect in all aspects of cancer patients' care. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of the pandemic on the largest molecular diagnostics center for cancer patients and high-risk individuals in Serbia. Research design and methods: EGFR, KRAS/NRAS, BRAF and BRCA1/2 mutation testing were performed by qPCR and NGS. NGS was used for panel testing of hereditary breast/ovarian cancer and cancers associated with Lynch syndrome. The analytical output during the state of emergency (SoE) was compared to the period before and after the outbreak using one-way ANOVA. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: A 38% reduction in the number of analysis was detected during the SoE. After the SoE, a 19% reduction was noted compared to SoE and 50% compared to the period before the SoE (p=0.038). Only 3 of the 48 scheduled appointments for pre-test genetic counseling were carried out during the SoE, but the number of NGS tests increased by 50%. Conclusions: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic had a profound negative effect on the diagnostic output of our centralized molecular diagnostics center. The only positive effect was shortening of waiting lists for hereditary cancer patients and high-risk individuals.
Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic introduced a global distraction effect in all aspects of cancerpatients' care. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of the pandemic on the largest molecular diagnostics center for cancerpatients and high-risk individuals in Serbia. Research design and methods: EGFR, KRAS/NRAS, BRAF and BRCA1/2 mutation testing were performed by qPCR and NGS. NGS was used for panel testing of hereditary breast/ovarian cancer and cancers associated with Lynch syndrome. The analytical output during the state of emergency (SoE) was compared to the period before and after the outbreak using one-way ANOVA. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: A 38% reduction in the number of analysis was detected during the SoE. After the SoE, a 19% reduction was noted compared to SoE and 50% compared to the period before the SoE (p=0.038). Only 3 of the 48 scheduled appointments for pre-test genetic counseling were carried out during the SoE, but the number of NGS tests increased by 50%. Conclusions: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic had a profound negative effect on the diagnostic output of our centralized molecular diagnostics center. The only positive effect was shortening of waiting lists for hereditary cancerpatients and high-risk individuals.
Entities:
Keywords:
SARS-CoV-2; cancer genetics; companion diagnostics; genetic counseling; hereditary cancer
Authors: Rudolf M Huber; Milena Cavic; Anna Kerpel-Fronius; Lucia Viola; John Field; Long Jiang; Ella A Kazerooni; Coenraad F N Koegelenberg; Anant Mohan; Ricardo Sales Dos Santos; Luigi Ventura; Murry Wynes; Dawei Yang; Javier Zulueta; Choon-Taek Lee; Martin C Tammemägi; Claudia I Henschke; Stephen Lam Journal: J Thorac Oncol Date: 2021-12-03 Impact factor: 15.609