The Impact of COVID-19 on Brachytherapy During the Pandemic: A Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health Multisite Experience
Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate whether the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in treatment delays in patients scheduled for or undergoing brachytherapy. Methods and Materials: A retrospective cohort study was conducted across 4 affiliated sites after local institutional...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Advances in Radiation Oncology |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S245210942030302X |
| _version_ | 1818943845863260160 |
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| author | Lara Hathout, MD Ronald D. Ennis, MD Malcolm D. Mattes, MD Raquel T. Wagman, MD Alison Grann, MD Salma K. Jabbour, MD Rachana Singh, MD Ning J. Yue, PhD Bruce G. Haffty, MD Irina Vergalasova, PhD |
| author_facet | Lara Hathout, MD Ronald D. Ennis, MD Malcolm D. Mattes, MD Raquel T. Wagman, MD Alison Grann, MD Salma K. Jabbour, MD Rachana Singh, MD Ning J. Yue, PhD Bruce G. Haffty, MD Irina Vergalasova, PhD |
| author_sort | Lara Hathout, MD |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate whether the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in treatment delays in patients scheduled for or undergoing brachytherapy. Methods and Materials: A retrospective cohort study was conducted across 4 affiliated sites after local institutional review board approval. The eligibility criteria were defined as all patients with cancer whose treatment plan included brachytherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic from February 24, 2020 to June 30, 2020. Treatment delays, cancellations, alterations of fractionation regimens, and treatment paradigm changes were evaluated. Results: A total of 47 patients were eligible for the analysis. Median patient age at the time of treatment was 62 years (interquartile range, 56-70 years). Endometrial, cervical, and prostate cancers were the most common sites included in this analysis. Three patients (6.4%) with cervical cancer were diagnosed with COVID-19 during the course of their treatment. Interruptions of external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), cancellations of EBRT, cancellations of brachytherapy, and treatment delays due to COVID occurred in 5 (10.6%), 3 (6.4%), 8 (17%), and 9 (19%) patients, respectively. The mean and median number of days delayed for patients who experienced treatment interruptions were 16.3 days (standard deviation: 13.9 days) and 14 days (interquartile range, 5.75-23.75 days), respectively. For patients with cervical cancer, the mean and median overall treatment times defined as the time from the start of EBRT to the end of brachytherapy were 56 and 49 days, respectively. Conclusions: Despite the challenges the health care system faced during the pandemic, most patients with cancer were safely treated with minor treatment delays and interruptions. Long-term follow up is needed to assess the impact of COVID-19 and treatment interruptions on oncologic outcomes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T07:33:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-512b21e98efd42e4b61d4492c26a28eb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2452-1094 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T07:33:48Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Advances in Radiation Oncology |
| spelling | doaj.art-512b21e98efd42e4b61d4492c26a28eb2022-12-21T19:48:19ZengElsevierAdvances in Radiation Oncology2452-10942021-01-0161100600The Impact of COVID-19 on Brachytherapy During the Pandemic: A Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health Multisite ExperienceLara Hathout, MD0Ronald D. Ennis, MD1Malcolm D. Mattes, MD2Raquel T. Wagman, MD3Alison Grann, MD4Salma K. Jabbour, MD5Rachana Singh, MD6Ning J. Yue, PhD7Bruce G. Haffty, MD8Irina Vergalasova, PhD9Department of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey; Corresponding author: Lara Hathout, MDDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New JerseyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Newark, New JerseyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, New JerseyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston, New JerseyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New JerseyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Hamilton, New JerseyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New JerseyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New JerseyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New JerseyPurpose: This study aimed to evaluate whether the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in treatment delays in patients scheduled for or undergoing brachytherapy. Methods and Materials: A retrospective cohort study was conducted across 4 affiliated sites after local institutional review board approval. The eligibility criteria were defined as all patients with cancer whose treatment plan included brachytherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic from February 24, 2020 to June 30, 2020. Treatment delays, cancellations, alterations of fractionation regimens, and treatment paradigm changes were evaluated. Results: A total of 47 patients were eligible for the analysis. Median patient age at the time of treatment was 62 years (interquartile range, 56-70 years). Endometrial, cervical, and prostate cancers were the most common sites included in this analysis. Three patients (6.4%) with cervical cancer were diagnosed with COVID-19 during the course of their treatment. Interruptions of external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), cancellations of EBRT, cancellations of brachytherapy, and treatment delays due to COVID occurred in 5 (10.6%), 3 (6.4%), 8 (17%), and 9 (19%) patients, respectively. The mean and median number of days delayed for patients who experienced treatment interruptions were 16.3 days (standard deviation: 13.9 days) and 14 days (interquartile range, 5.75-23.75 days), respectively. For patients with cervical cancer, the mean and median overall treatment times defined as the time from the start of EBRT to the end of brachytherapy were 56 and 49 days, respectively. Conclusions: Despite the challenges the health care system faced during the pandemic, most patients with cancer were safely treated with minor treatment delays and interruptions. Long-term follow up is needed to assess the impact of COVID-19 and treatment interruptions on oncologic outcomes.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S245210942030302X |
| spellingShingle | Lara Hathout, MD Ronald D. Ennis, MD Malcolm D. Mattes, MD Raquel T. Wagman, MD Alison Grann, MD Salma K. Jabbour, MD Rachana Singh, MD Ning J. Yue, PhD Bruce G. Haffty, MD Irina Vergalasova, PhD The Impact of COVID-19 on Brachytherapy During the Pandemic: A Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health Multisite Experience Advances in Radiation Oncology |
| title | The Impact of COVID-19 on Brachytherapy During the Pandemic: A Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health Multisite Experience |
| title_full | The Impact of COVID-19 on Brachytherapy During the Pandemic: A Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health Multisite Experience |
| title_fullStr | The Impact of COVID-19 on Brachytherapy During the Pandemic: A Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health Multisite Experience |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Impact of COVID-19 on Brachytherapy During the Pandemic: A Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health Multisite Experience |
| title_short | The Impact of COVID-19 on Brachytherapy During the Pandemic: A Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health Multisite Experience |
| title_sort | impact of covid 19 on brachytherapy during the pandemic a rutgers robert wood johnson barnabas health multisite experience |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S245210942030302X |
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