Impact of COVID‐19 pandemic on lung cancer treatment scheduling

Abstract

The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is associated with a heavy burden on the mental and physical health of patients, regional healthcare resources, and global economic activity. Many patients with lung cancer are thought to be affected by this situation. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on lung cancer treatment scheduling. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of lung cancer patients who were undergoing anticancer treatment at the National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Center (600 beds) in Kyoto, Japan, between 1 March 2020 and 31 May 2020. After the medical records were reviewed, the patients were assigned to one of two groups, depending on whether their lung cancer treatment schedule was delayed. We assessed the characteristics, types of histopathology and treatment, and the reason for the delay. A total 15 (9.1%) patients experienced a delay in lung cancer treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients with a treatment delay received significantly more immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) monotherapy than patients without a treatment delay (P = 0.0057). On the contrary, no patients receiving molecular targeted agents experienced a treatment delay during the COVID-19 pandemic period (P = 0.0027). The treatments of most of the patients were delayed at their request. We determined that 9.1% lung cancer patients suffered anxiety and requested a treatment delay during the COVID-19 pandemic. Oncologists should bear in mind that patients with cancer have more anxiety than expected under unprecedented circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mohs Micrographic Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Considering the Patient Perspective

“…12 In another study involving patients with lung cancer, 9.1% (N=15) of patients postponed their treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic because of pandemicrelated anxiety. 13 With the goal of improving care at our institution, we conducted a brief institutional review board-approved survey to evaluate how postponing MMS treatment due to the COVID-19 pandemic affected patients. All MMS patients undergoing surgery in June 2020 and July 2020 (N=99) were asked to complete our voluntary and anonymous 23-question survey in person during their procedure.…”

COVID-19 and the multidisciplinary care of patients with lung cancer: an evidence-based review and commentary

“…Patients in stages I and II revealed having less fear about disease progression (14 [18.2%] and 4 [14.8%], respectively), had lower proportions of delayed medical appointments (15 [19.5%] and 6 [22.2%], respectively) and complained less about complex treatment procedures (12 [15.6%] and 5 [18.52%], respectively). Patients in the high-infected area (345, 56.7%) complained more frequently about longer booking periods than those in the low-infected area (61, 31.3%) Fujita et al 83 Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on lung cancer treatment scheduling Japan Observational retrospective study 165 patients (medical records) Secondary care • Delay in treatment schedule Lung cancer treatments of 15 patients (9.1%) were delayed during the COVID‐19 pandemic Hyland and Jim et al 84 Behavioural and psychosocial responses of people receiving treatment for advanced lung cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative analysis USA Qualitative study 15 patients Secondary care • Themes related to the behavioural and psychosocial responses Six themes emerged from this qualitative study, including cancer as the primary health threat, changes in oncology practice and access to cancer care, awareness of mortality and perceptions of risk, behavioural and psychosocial responses to COVID-19, sense of loss/mourning and positive reinterpretation/greater appreciation for life Yang et al 85 Clinical characteristics, outcomes, and risk factors for mortality in patients with cancer and COVID-19 in Hubei, China: a multicentre, retrospective, cohort study China Retrospective, multicentre cohort 205 patients Secondary care • Clinical outcomes • Laboratory findings • Chest CT examinations • Treatment • Mortality Patients with cancer and COVID-19 who were admitted to hospital had a high case-fatality rate. Unfavourable prognostic factors, including receiving chemotherapy within 4 weeks before symptom onset and male sex, might help clinicians to identify patients at high risk of fatal outcomes …”

Health impacts on cancer patients: an overview of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil

“…Cancer patients are at risk of being contaminated with the coronavirus because of their greater likelihood of developing a severe form of the disease [16,17]. Thus, fear of contamination may have been the primary factor that raised the number of cancelled appointments and examinations in the present study, given that more than 90% of participants expressed fear of being contaminated with the new coronavirus.…”