The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tertiary care cancer center: Analyzing administrative data.
Semin Oncol
; 49(2): 182-188, 2022 04.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1860463
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Patients with cancer need to receive their proper treatment and often cannot wait for their treatment, despite delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, many cancer centers have had challenges maintaining their oncological activities.OBJECTIVES:
To compare the average hospital management data and indicators in two different periods, with and without the peak of COVID-19 cases, from an important tertiary cancer center in the northeast region of Brazil.METHODS:
A retrospective and observational study was performed comparing average hospital administrative data and indicators, between January to March v April to June, 2020 exclusively at the Hospital de Câncer de Pernambuco, Brazil.RESULTS:
There were on average a 13% reduction in the chemotherapy administered (Pâ¯=â¯.131), 17% fewer radiotherapy treatments carried out (Pâ¯=â¯.043) and 41% as many oncologic surgeries undertaken (Pâ¯=â¯.002). There was a reduction in the number of sessions of out-patient chemotherapy of 8â¢6% (Pâ¯=â¯.271) and chemotherapy inpatients of 33% (Pâ¯=â¯.038). Admission of new cases of patients with cancer was reduced by 44% (Pâ¯=â¯.007) during the period analyzed. Ambulatory appointments also decreased by 55% (Pâ¯=â¯.004) and emergency room appointments fell by 7â¢9% (Pâ¯=â¯.495). The number of hospitalizations was reduced by 36% (Pâ¯=â¯.005) and the occupancy rate decreased by 23â¢6% (Pâ¯=â¯.003), while the length of individual hospital stays (in days) increased 10â¢5% (Pâ¯=â¯.116).CONCLUSION:
We report a reduction in the number of radiotherapy treatments and surgeries performed cancer carried out, ambulatory and emergency appointments, hospitalization and admission of new cases of cancer during peak of COVID-19 in an important public tertiary cancer center in the northeast region of Brazil.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
COVID-19
/
Neoplasms
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Semin Oncol
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
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