Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the in‐hospital diagnostic pathway of breast and colorectal cancer in the Netherlands: A population‐based study
Abstract Background In the Netherlands, the COVID‐19 pandemic resulted in a temporary halt of population screening for cancer and limited hospital capacity for non‐COVID care. We aimed to investigate the impact of the pandemic on the in‐hospital diagnostic pathway of breast cancer (BC) and colorecta...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Cancer Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.6861 |
| _version_ | 1797277155607969792 |
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| author | Wouter Wolfkamp Joyce Meijer Jolanda C. vanHoeve Felice vanErning Lioe‐Fee deGeus‐Oei Ignace deHingh Jeroen Veltman Sabine Siesling the COVID and Cancer‐NL Consortium |
| author_facet | Wouter Wolfkamp Joyce Meijer Jolanda C. vanHoeve Felice vanErning Lioe‐Fee deGeus‐Oei Ignace deHingh Jeroen Veltman Sabine Siesling the COVID and Cancer‐NL Consortium |
| author_sort | Wouter Wolfkamp |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background In the Netherlands, the COVID‐19 pandemic resulted in a temporary halt of population screening for cancer and limited hospital capacity for non‐COVID care. We aimed to investigate the impact of the pandemic on the in‐hospital diagnostic pathway of breast cancer (BC) and colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods 71,159 BC and 48,900 CRC patients were selected from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Patients, diagnosed between January 2020 and July 2021, were divided into six periods and compared to the average of patients diagnosed in the same periods in 2017–2019. Diagnostic procedures performed were analysed using logistic regression. Lead time of the diagnostic pathway was analysed using Cox regression. Analyses were stratified for cancer type and corrected for age, sex (only CRC), stage and region. Results For BC, less mammograms were performed during the first recovery period in 2020. More PET‐CTs were performed during the first peak, first recovery and third peak period. For CRC, less ultrasounds and more CT scans and MRIs were performed during the first peak. Lead time decreased the most during the first peak by 2 days (BC) and 8 days (CRC). Significantly fewer patients, mainly in lower stages, were diagnosed with BC (−47%) and CRC (−36%) during the first peak. Conclusion Significant impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic was found on the diagnostic pathway, mainly during the first peak. In 2021, care returned to the same standards as before the pandemic. Long‐term effects on patient outcomes are not known yet and will be the subject of future research. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:43:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-77710eafa4424646b9d2936bf7cf3c3e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-7634 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T15:43:39Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancer Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-77710eafa4424646b9d2936bf7cf3c3e2024-03-05T06:22:52ZengWileyCancer Medicine2045-76342024-01-01131n/an/a10.1002/cam4.6861Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the in‐hospital diagnostic pathway of breast and colorectal cancer in the Netherlands: A population‐based studyWouter Wolfkamp0Joyce Meijer1Jolanda C. vanHoeve2Felice vanErning3Lioe‐Fee deGeus‐Oei4Ignace deHingh5Jeroen Veltman6Sabine Siesling7the COVID and Cancer‐NL ConsortiumDepartment of Research and Development Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL) Utrecht the NetherlandsDepartment of Research and Development Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL) Utrecht the NetherlandsDepartment of Research and Development Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL) Utrecht the NetherlandsDepartment of Research and Development Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL) Utrecht the NetherlandsDepartment of Radiology Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) Leiden the NetherlandsDepartment of Surgical Oncology Catharina Cancer Institute Eindhoven the NetherlandsBiomedical Photonic Imaging Group University of Twente Enschede the NetherlandsDepartment of Research and Development Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL) Utrecht the NetherlandsAbstract Background In the Netherlands, the COVID‐19 pandemic resulted in a temporary halt of population screening for cancer and limited hospital capacity for non‐COVID care. We aimed to investigate the impact of the pandemic on the in‐hospital diagnostic pathway of breast cancer (BC) and colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods 71,159 BC and 48,900 CRC patients were selected from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Patients, diagnosed between January 2020 and July 2021, were divided into six periods and compared to the average of patients diagnosed in the same periods in 2017–2019. Diagnostic procedures performed were analysed using logistic regression. Lead time of the diagnostic pathway was analysed using Cox regression. Analyses were stratified for cancer type and corrected for age, sex (only CRC), stage and region. Results For BC, less mammograms were performed during the first recovery period in 2020. More PET‐CTs were performed during the first peak, first recovery and third peak period. For CRC, less ultrasounds and more CT scans and MRIs were performed during the first peak. Lead time decreased the most during the first peak by 2 days (BC) and 8 days (CRC). Significantly fewer patients, mainly in lower stages, were diagnosed with BC (−47%) and CRC (−36%) during the first peak. Conclusion Significant impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic was found on the diagnostic pathway, mainly during the first peak. In 2021, care returned to the same standards as before the pandemic. Long‐term effects on patient outcomes are not known yet and will be the subject of future research.https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.6861breast cancercolorectal cancerCOVID‐19diagnosisdiagnostic pathwaydiagnostic procedures |
| spellingShingle | Wouter Wolfkamp Joyce Meijer Jolanda C. vanHoeve Felice vanErning Lioe‐Fee deGeus‐Oei Ignace deHingh Jeroen Veltman Sabine Siesling the COVID and Cancer‐NL Consortium Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the in‐hospital diagnostic pathway of breast and colorectal cancer in the Netherlands: A population‐based study Cancer Medicine breast cancer colorectal cancer COVID‐19 diagnosis diagnostic pathway diagnostic procedures |
| title | Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the in‐hospital diagnostic pathway of breast and colorectal cancer in the Netherlands: A population‐based study |
| title_full | Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the in‐hospital diagnostic pathway of breast and colorectal cancer in the Netherlands: A population‐based study |
| title_fullStr | Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the in‐hospital diagnostic pathway of breast and colorectal cancer in the Netherlands: A population‐based study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the in‐hospital diagnostic pathway of breast and colorectal cancer in the Netherlands: A population‐based study |
| title_short | Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the in‐hospital diagnostic pathway of breast and colorectal cancer in the Netherlands: A population‐based study |
| title_sort | impact of the covid 19 pandemic on the in hospital diagnostic pathway of breast and colorectal cancer in the netherlands a population based study |
| topic | breast cancer colorectal cancer COVID‐19 diagnosis diagnostic pathway diagnostic procedures |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.6861 |
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