OBJECTIVE: Since the rising of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there is uncertainty regarding the impact of transmission to cancer patients. Evidence on increased severity for patients undergoing antineoplastic treatment is posed against deferring oncologic treatment. We aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on patient volumes in a cancer center in an epicenter of the pandemic. METHODS: Outpatient and inpatient volumes were extracted from electronic health record database. Two intervals were compared: pre-COVID-19 (March to May 2019) and COVID-19 pandemic (March to May 2020) periods. RESULTS: The total number of medical appointments declined by 45% in the COVID-19 period, including a 56.2% decrease in new visits. There was a 27.5% reduction in the number of patients undergoing intravenous systemic treatment and a 57.4% decline in initiation of new treatments. Conversely, there was an increase by 309% in new patients undergoing oral chemotherapy regimens and a 5.9% rise in new patients submitted to radiation therapy in the COVID-19 period. There was a 51.2% decline in length of stay and a 60% reduction in the volume of surgical cases during COVID-19. In the stem cell transplant unit, we observed a reduction by 36.5% in length of stay and a 62.5% drop in stem cell transplants. CONCLUSION: A significant decrease in the number of patients undergoing cancer treatment was observed after COVID-19 pandemic. Although this may be partially overcome by alternative therapeutic options, avoiding timely health care due to fear of getting COVID-19 infection might impact on clinical outcomes. Our findings may help support immediate actions to mitigate this hypothesis.
OBJECTIVE: Since the rising of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there is uncertainty regarding the impact of transmission to cancerpatients. Evidence on increased severity for patients undergoing antineoplastic treatment is posed against deferring oncologic treatment. We aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on patient volumes in a cancer center in an epicenter of the pandemic. METHODS:Outpatient and inpatient volumes were extracted from electronic health record database. Two intervals were compared: pre-COVID-19 (March to May 2019) and COVID-19 pandemic (March to May 2020) periods. RESULTS: The total number of medical appointments declined by 45% in the COVID-19 period, including a 56.2% decrease in new visits. There was a 27.5% reduction in the number of patients undergoing intravenous systemic treatment and a 57.4% decline in initiation of new treatments. Conversely, there was an increase by 309% in new patients undergoing oral chemotherapy regimens and a 5.9% rise in new patients submitted to radiation therapy in the COVID-19 period. There was a 51.2% decline in length of stay and a 60% reduction in the volume of surgical cases during COVID-19. In the stem cell transplant unit, we observed a reduction by 36.5% in length of stay and a 62.5% drop in stem cell transplants. CONCLUSION: A significant decrease in the number of patients undergoing cancer treatment was observed after COVID-19 pandemic. Although this may be partially overcome by alternative therapeutic options, avoiding timely health care due to fear of getting COVID-19infection might impact on clinical outcomes. Our findings may help support immediate actions to mitigate this hypothesis.
Authors: Leila Abou Salha; Julio Cesar Souza Silva; Cleusa Alves Martins; Cristiane Soares da Costa Araújo; Edinamar Aparecida Santos da Silva; Angela Gilda Alves; Cácia Régia de Paula; Flavio Henrique Alves de Lima; Veidma Siqueira de Moura; José Elmo de Menezes; Virginia Visconde Brasil; Maria Alves Barbosa Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-12-24 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Natalia Valdiviezo; Cindy Alcarraz; Denisse Castro; Renzo Salas; Victor Begazo-Mollo; Marco Galvez-Villanueva; Luz Medina Aguirre; Elica Garcia-León; Isela Quispe-Santivañez; Carmen Cornejo-Raymundo; Eduardo Paz-Cornejo; Luis Sanchez-Vilela; Vanessa Bermudez-Alfaro; Juan Carlos Vargas-Nina; Carlos Pérez-Ramos; Andrea Meza-Hoces; Paolo R Valdez Barreto; Ruth Huaringa-Leiva; Johanny Muro-Cieza; Valeria Aguilar-Vásquez; Eduardo Yache Cuenca; Silvia Neciosup-Delgado; Nathaly Poma-Nieto; Sheyla Chavez-Gavino; Lenin Fernandez-Rosas; Jhajaira M Araujo; Eduardo Payet; Henry L Gomez Journal: Cancer Manag Res Date: 2022-03-08 Impact factor: 3.989
Authors: Lucas Gomes Santos; Regicley Vieira da Silva; Thiago Cavalcanti Leal; José Emerson Xavier; Elaine Virgínia Martins de Souza Figueiredo; João Paulo Silva de Paiva; Leonardo Feitosa da Silva; Carlos Alberto de Oliveira Rocha; Bruno Eduardo Bastos Rolim Nunes; Gibson Barros de Almeida Santana; Tânia Rita Moreno de Oliveira Fernandes; Francisco de Assis Costa; Márcio Bezerra-Santos; Rodrigo Feliciano do Carmo; Anderson da Costa Armstrong; Carlos Dornels Freire de Souza Journal: Curr Probl Cardiol Date: 2022-04-21 Impact factor: 16.464
Authors: Angelo Braga Mendonça; Eliane Ramos Pereira; Carinne Magnago; Pedro Gilson da Silva; Diva Cristina Morett Leão; Rose Mary Costa Rosa Andrade Silva; Karina Cardoso Meira Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-12-15 Impact factor: 3.390