Impact of COVID-19 on cancer service delivery: a follow-up international survey of oncology clinicians

ESMO Open

article

G. Chazan¹  F. Franchini²  M. Alexander¹  S. Banerjee⁶  L. Mileshkin¹  P. Blinman⁹  R. Zielinski^1,11  D. Karikios^1,13  N. Pavlakis^1,15  S. Peters^1,16  F. Lordick^1,17  D. Ball¹  G. Wright^1,19  M. IJzerman²  B.J. Solomon¹ 

[1] Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne;Centre for Cancer Research and Centre for Health Policy, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne;Melbourne School of Public and Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences;Department of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre;Department of Pharmacy, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre;Gynaecology Unit, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust;Division of Clinical Studies, The Institute of Cancer Research;Department of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre;Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney;Medical Oncology, Concord Repatriation General Hospital;Medical Oncology, Western Sydney University;Medical Oncology, Orange Hospital, Western New South Wales Local Health District;Medical Oncology, Nepean Hospital;Nepean Clinical School, University of Sydney;Medical Oncology, Royal North Shore Hospital;Medical Oncology, Lausanne University Hospital CHUV;University Cancer Centre Leipzig, University Medicine Leipzig;Radiation Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre;St Vincent’s Hospital, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre;Surgery, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre;Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne;University of Twente, Health Technology & Services Research

关键词: COVID-19;    oncology;    telehealth;    service delivery;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.esmoop.2021.100224

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: BMJ Publishing Group

【 摘 要 】

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has had a vast impact on cancer service delivery around the world. Previously reported results from our international survey of oncology clinicians, conducted through March-April 2020, found that clinicians reported altering management in both the curative and palliative settings and not in proportion to the COVID-19 case burden in their region of practice. This follow-up survey, conducted from 27th September to 7th November 2020, aimed to explore how attitudes and practices evolved over the 2020 pandemic period.Participants and methods Participants were medical, radiation and surgical oncologist and trainees. Surveys were distributed electronically via ESMO and other collaborating professional societies. Participants were asked to compare their practice prior to the pandemic to both the period of March-April 2020, referred to as the ‘early' period, and the current survey period, referred to as the ‘later' period.Results One hundred and seventy-two oncology clinicians completed the survey. The majority of respondents were medical oncologists (n = 136, 79%) and many were from Europe (n = 82, 48%). In the ‘early' period, 88% (n = 133) of clinicians reported altering their practice compared to 63% (n = 96) in the ‘later' period. Compared to prior to the pandemic, clinicians reported fewer new patient presentations in the ‘early' period and a trend towards more patients presenting with advanced disease in the ‘later' period.Conclusions Results indicate a swing back towards pre-COVID-19 practices despite an increase in the rate of cumulative COVID-19 cases across 2020. The impact of these changes on cancer associated morbidity and mortality remains to be measured over the months and years to come.

【 授权许可】

CC BY|CC BY-NC-ND