ABSTRACT
Background: Colorectal cancer (CCR) is the third most common and the second most deadly cancer with 1.9 million new diagnoses worldwide in 2020. COVID-19 pandemic placed an unprecedented burden on health systems worldwide, directly impacting cancer patients’ management. Health-care systems reorganization led to a decrease on all non-urgent surgical and medical procedures, delaying cancer screening protocols. This study aims to access the impact of COVID-19 on Colorectal Cancer management in a Portuguese Oncology Department. Methods: A retrospective cohort study comparing the new colorectal cancer diagnosis between March/2019 and March/2022. New diagnosis between March/2019 and March/2020 were assigned to Cohort 1 “Before COVID-19 Pandemic” and new diagnosis between March/2020 and March/2022 assigned to Cohort 2 “During COVID-19 Pandemic”. Data was collected from digital medical records and statistical analysis performed using SPSS V.25 IBM®. Results: Between March/19 and March/22 were diagnosed 313 new colorectal cancers, 116 (37%) assigned to Cohort 1 “Before COVID-19 Pandemic” and 197 (63%) to Cohort 2 “During COVID-19 Pandemic”. Analysing the new diagnosis in Cohort 2, 105 (34%) occurred between March/20-21 and 92 (29%) between March/21-22. Mean age at diagnosis of 69 (30-96) years for Cohort 1 and 68 (32-94) years for Cohort 2. 42% (n=49) females and 58% (n=68) males in Cohort 1 compared to 38% (n=77) females and 62% (n=123) males in Cohort 2. Colorectal cancer screening diagnosed 36% (n=42) patients in Cohort 1 and 35% (n=69) in Cohort 2. Clinical presentation with bowel obstruction was seen in 25% (n=29) in Cohort 1 and 37% (n=74) in Cohort 2 (p=0.02). Metastatic disease at diagnosis in 13% (n=14) for Cohort 1 and 26% (n=52) for Cohort 2 (p=0.07). Regarding management, 39% (n=46) underwent adjuvant systemic treatment in Cohort 1 compared to 28% (n=55) in Cohort 2 (p=0.03). Palliative systemic treatment was agreed for 7% (n=10) in Cohort 1 and 17% (n=36) in Cohort 2 (p=0.02). At diagnosis, best supportive care was decided for 2% (n=2) in the first Cohort and 15% (n=30) (p=0.03). Overall survival of 25 (1-36) months for Cohort 1 and 10 (1-23) months for Cohort 2. Conclusions: Comparison between pre-pandemic and in-pandemic periods revealed a numeric reduction on new cases of colorectal cancer in each 12 months period. Despite similar rate of diagnosis by colorectal cancer screening, statistical significance was found when comparing clinical presentation with bowel obstruction or metastatic disease. Despite that, less patients underwent adjuvant systemic treatment in cohort 2 and more were evaluated for best supportive care at diagnosis. These findings may be explained by more advanced disease in more fragile patients in the Cohort 2 population. The results of our study contribute to the evidence on the impact of COVID-19 pandemics on colorectal cancer with fewer diagnosis, more advanced disease, and lack of re-establishment of pre-pandemic rate of new diagnosis. Legal entity responsible for the study: The author. Funding: Has not received any funding. Disclosures: All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
ABSTRACT
Background: The onset of COVID-19 pandemic forced lockdown and halted breast cancer screening programs. We aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the new diagnosis and staging of breast cancer. Methods: In this cohort study, we included all patient with new diagnosis of breast cancer who were admitted to our Hospital (Hospital Pedro Hispano, Matosinhos, Portugal), between March 2019 and March 2021. We collected data on baseline clinical conditions such as age, stage at diagnosis and treatment. We created two different groups were created: 1st group- before COVID-19 pandemia (March 1, 2019 to March 16, 2020);2nd group - COVID-19 pandemia (March 17, 2020 to March 31, 2021). A comparative assessment between groups was carried out. Results: Were included 483 patients;n=289 in the 1st group and n= 194 in the 2nd group. The median age was 60 years old in the 1st group and 59 years old in the 2nd group. In the 1st group, 13% patients were diagnosis with ductal in situ carcinoma (DCIS), 51% in stage I, 24% in stage II, 9.5% in stage III and 3% in stage IV. In 2nd group, 9% had DCIS, 30% were in stage I, 40% in stage II, 11% in stage III and 10% in stage IV. Stage at diagnosis was significantly higher in the 2nd group (p< 0.001) This situation was mainly due to tumour size (T). In the 1st group, most patients (n=91;38%) had tumour size between 10 e 20mm (T1c in TNM classification). One the other hand, 40% (n=78) of patients included in the 2nd group had tumour size between 20 e 50mm (T2), with significant differences between them (p=0.004). No difference was found between groups in nodular involvement (p=0.189), with the majority of patients (∼50% in both groups) presenting without nodular involvement (N0 in TMN classification). 10% of patients in 2nd group and 3% in 1st group had metastatic disease at diagnosis, with differences between them (p=0.006). 49% (n=119) of patients in 1st group and 52% (n=100) in the 2nd group were treated with chemotherapy, without differences between those groups. Conclusions: Our results show that during one year after COVID-19 pandemia the incidence of breast cancer decreased, and patients were diagnosis in more advanced stages. This situation could have been related to patient referral to non COVID-19 Hospitals or correspond to a true sub-diagnosis. Legal entity responsible for the study: M. Vilaça. Funding: Has not received any funding. Disclosure: All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.