The worldwide impact of COVID-19 on cancer care: A meta-analysis of surveys published after the first wave of the pandemic
BackgroundThe rapid and global spread of COVID-19 posed a massive challenge to healthcare systems, which came across the need to provide high-intensity assistance to thousands of patients suffering from SARS-CoV-2 infection while assuring continuous care for all other diseases. This has been of part...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Oncology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2022.961380/full |
| _version_ | 1798000231487373312 |
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| author | Serena Di Cosimo Nicola Susca Giovanni Apolone Nicola Silvestris Vito Racanelli |
| author_facet | Serena Di Cosimo Nicola Susca Giovanni Apolone Nicola Silvestris Vito Racanelli |
| author_sort | Serena Di Cosimo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundThe rapid and global spread of COVID-19 posed a massive challenge to healthcare systems, which came across the need to provide high-intensity assistance to thousands of patients suffering from SARS-CoV-2 infection while assuring continuous care for all other diseases. This has been of particular importance in the oncology field. This study explores how oncology centers responded to the pandemic at a single center level by assessing surveys addressing different aspects of cancer care after the pandemic outbreak.MethodsWe performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the cancer care surveys published until December 11th, 2020. Data were analyzed according to three main areas of interest, namely health care organization, including cancellation/delay and/or modification of scheduled treatments, cancellation/delay of outpatient visits, and reduction of overall cancer care activities; routine use of preventive measures, such as personal protective equipment (PPE) by both patients and health care workers, and systematic SARS-CoV-2 screening by nasopharyngeal swabs; and implementation of telemedicine through remote consultations.FindingsFifty surveys reporting data on 9150 providers from 121 countries on 5 continents were included. Cancellation/delay of treatment occurred in 58% of centers; delay of outpatient visits in 75%; changes in treatment plans in 65%; and a general reduction in clinical activity in 58%. Routine use of PPE by patients and healthcare personnel was reported by 81% and 80% of centers, respectively; systematic SARS-CoV-2 screening by nasopharyngeal swabs was reported by only 41% of centers. Virtual visits were implemented by the majority (72%) of centers.InterpretationThese results describe the negative impact of COVID-19 on cancer care, the rapid response of cancer centers in terms of preventive measures and alternative treatment approaches such as telemedicine, and confirm that surveys can provide the valuable, low-cost and immediate information that critical situations require. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:17:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1874b26c78e44e87a949820950b765e9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2234-943X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:17:11Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Oncology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1874b26c78e44e87a949820950b765e92022-12-22T04:27:11ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Oncology2234-943X2022-09-011210.3389/fonc.2022.961380961380The worldwide impact of COVID-19 on cancer care: A meta-analysis of surveys published after the first wave of the pandemicSerena Di Cosimo0Nicola Susca1Giovanni Apolone2Nicola Silvestris3Vito Racanelli4Platform of Integrated Biology Unit, Department of Applied Research and Technological Development, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, ItalySchool of Medicine: Interdisciplinary of Medicine, Aldo Moro University of Bari, Bari, ItalyScientific Directorate, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, ItalyMedical Oncology Unit, Department of Human Pathology “G. Barresi”, University of Messina, Messina, ItalySchool of Medicine: Interdisciplinary of Medicine, Aldo Moro University of Bari, Bari, ItalyBackgroundThe rapid and global spread of COVID-19 posed a massive challenge to healthcare systems, which came across the need to provide high-intensity assistance to thousands of patients suffering from SARS-CoV-2 infection while assuring continuous care for all other diseases. This has been of particular importance in the oncology field. This study explores how oncology centers responded to the pandemic at a single center level by assessing surveys addressing different aspects of cancer care after the pandemic outbreak.MethodsWe performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the cancer care surveys published until December 11th, 2020. Data were analyzed according to three main areas of interest, namely health care organization, including cancellation/delay and/or modification of scheduled treatments, cancellation/delay of outpatient visits, and reduction of overall cancer care activities; routine use of preventive measures, such as personal protective equipment (PPE) by both patients and health care workers, and systematic SARS-CoV-2 screening by nasopharyngeal swabs; and implementation of telemedicine through remote consultations.FindingsFifty surveys reporting data on 9150 providers from 121 countries on 5 continents were included. Cancellation/delay of treatment occurred in 58% of centers; delay of outpatient visits in 75%; changes in treatment plans in 65%; and a general reduction in clinical activity in 58%. Routine use of PPE by patients and healthcare personnel was reported by 81% and 80% of centers, respectively; systematic SARS-CoV-2 screening by nasopharyngeal swabs was reported by only 41% of centers. Virtual visits were implemented by the majority (72%) of centers.InterpretationThese results describe the negative impact of COVID-19 on cancer care, the rapid response of cancer centers in terms of preventive measures and alternative treatment approaches such as telemedicine, and confirm that surveys can provide the valuable, low-cost and immediate information that critical situations require. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2022.961380/fulloncologyCOVID-19surveyhealthcaremeta-analysis |
| spellingShingle | Serena Di Cosimo Nicola Susca Giovanni Apolone Nicola Silvestris Vito Racanelli The worldwide impact of COVID-19 on cancer care: A meta-analysis of surveys published after the first wave of the pandemic Frontiers in Oncology oncology COVID-19 survey healthcare meta-analysis |
| title | The worldwide impact of COVID-19 on cancer care: A meta-analysis of surveys published after the first wave of the pandemic |
| title_full | The worldwide impact of COVID-19 on cancer care: A meta-analysis of surveys published after the first wave of the pandemic |
| title_fullStr | The worldwide impact of COVID-19 on cancer care: A meta-analysis of surveys published after the first wave of the pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | The worldwide impact of COVID-19 on cancer care: A meta-analysis of surveys published after the first wave of the pandemic |
| title_short | The worldwide impact of COVID-19 on cancer care: A meta-analysis of surveys published after the first wave of the pandemic |
| title_sort | worldwide impact of covid 19 on cancer care a meta analysis of surveys published after the first wave of the pandemic |
| topic | oncology COVID-19 survey healthcare meta-analysis |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2022.961380/full |
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