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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cancer Patient’s Management—Lithuanian Cancer Center Experience

Authors :
Daiva Dabkeviciene
Ieva Vincerzevskiene
Vincas Urbonas
Jonas Venius
Audrius Dulskas
Birute Brasiuniene
Ernestas Janulionis
Arvydas Burneckis
Asta Zileviciene
Sigitas Tiskevicius
Rasa Vanseviciute-Petkeviciene
Jurgita Usinskiene
Ruta Briediene
Giedre Bulotiene
Eugenijus Stratilatovas
Valerijus Ostapenko
Jolita Gibaviciene
Ignas Karnas
Saule Kekstaite
Jurgita Navickiene
Albertas Ulys
Algirdas Zalimas
Algimantas Sruogis
Zygimantas Kardelis
Sigitas Zaremba
Renatas Askinis
Saulius Cicenas
Renatas Tikuisis
Ruta Ciurliene
Sonata Jarmalaite
Source :
Healthcare, Vol 9, Iss 11, p 1522 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2021.

Abstract

The pandemic spread of the COVID-19 virus significantly affected daily life, but the highest pressure was piled on the health care system. Our aim was to evaluate an impact of COVID-19 pandemic management measures on cancer services at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of Lithuania. We assessed the time period from 1 February 2020 to 31 December 2020 and compared it to the same period of 2019. Data for our analysis were extracted from the NCI Hospital Information System (HIS) and the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). Contingency table analysis and ANOVA were performed. The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected the cancer services provided by NCI. Reductions in diagnostic radiology (−16%) and endoscopy (−29%) procedures were accompanied by a decreased number of patients with ongoing medical (−30%), radiation (−6%) or surgical (−10%) treatment. The changes in the number of newly diagnosed cancer patients were dependent on tumor type and disease stage, showing a rise in advanced disease at diagnosis already during the early period of the first lockdown. The extent of out-patient consultations (−14%) and disease follow-up visits (−16%) was also affected by the pandemic, and only referrals to psychological/psychiatric counselling were increased. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on the structure of cancer services by fostering the application of modified systemic anticancer therapy or hypofractionated radiotherapy. The most dramatic drop occurred in the number of patients participating in cancer prevention programs; the loss was 25% for colon cancer and 62% for breast cancer screening. Marked restriction in access to preventive cancer screening and overall reduction of the whole spectrum of cancer services may negatively affect cancer survival measures in the nearest future.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
22279032
Volume :
9
Issue :
11
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Healthcare
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.8b08ff514974d7fbc02093c55a42725
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9111522