Impact of COVID‐19 in pediatric oncology care in Latin America during the first year of the pandemic

Abstract

Background:The ongoing coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) pandemic strained medical systems worldwide. We report on the impact on pediatric oncology care in Latin American (LATAM) during its first year.

Caracterização de uma população pediátrica durante a pandemia da COVID-19 em um Cancer Center Brasileiro

“…As medidas impostas pela OMS (BRASIL, 2021;GÓES et al, 2020) efetivamente protegeram os pacientes dessa faixa etária, como mostrou um estudo de revisão sistemática (MEENA et al, 2021), que, independentemente da classe social, foram menos acometidos pelo vírus. Um outro estudo realizado com médicos oncologistas hematologistas pediátricos em 20 países diferentes, mostrou que, cerca de 95% dos pacientes da América Latina não tiveram interrupções durante o tratamento oncológico no primeiro ano da pandemia, período crucial pelo avanço da contaminação em todo o globo e com a elaboração e liberação incerta da imunização para a faixa etária pediátrica; que veio a ocorrer no final de 2021e ao longo de 2022 (VILLANUEVA et al, 2022).…”

SIOP pediatric oncology services Global Mapping Program: Latin American data collection

“…In Latin America, this model proved to be highly useful during the COVID pandemic to effectively collect and disseminate information in a timely fashion. 3,4 In several countries, there is a national pediatric oncology professional association or national pediatric cancer program, which also maintains lists of facilities and professionals.…”

Supportive care in paediatric oncology during the pandemic: Lessons from a nationwide survey in India

“…The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in delays in diagnosis, poorer access to care and disruptions in service delivery in children with cancer across the world, especially in the early part of the pandemic which saw strict lockdowns in many countries. [1][2][3][4][5] The disparities were expectedly more pronounced in low-income and low middle-income countries including India. [1][2][3][4][5] Most paediatric oncology units modified treatment protocols and actively triaged patients in order to prioritize care to the neediest.…”

“…[1][2][3][4][5] The disparities were expectedly more pronounced in low-income and low middle-income countries including India. [1][2][3][4][5] Most paediatric oncology units modified treatment protocols and actively triaged patients in order to prioritize care to the neediest. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] In India, the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a strict lockdown from end-March 2020 to end-May 2020, with a considerable impact on the delivery of oncology services in India.…”

“…[1][2][3][4][5] Most paediatric oncology units modified treatment protocols and actively triaged patients in order to prioritize care to the neediest. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] In India, the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a strict lockdown from end-March 2020 to end-May 2020, with a considerable impact on the delivery of oncology services in India. 7,8 The earliest modification in patient care was triaging of patients, especially with regard to post-treatment surveillance and follow-up of survivors of childhood cancer.…”