Is Colorectal Cancer Stage Affected by COVID-19 Pandemic?

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Public Health
• Surgical Oncology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted healthcare systems globally.
• Colorectal cancer (CRC) patients faced disruptions in care due to pandemic-related system overload.
• Understanding the pandemic's effect on CRC diagnosis and treatment is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the clinical stage of colorectal cancer.
• To compare the stage distribution of CRC patients operated on during the pandemic versus pre-pandemic periods.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of two groups of colorectal cancer patients operated at a single surgical clinic.
• Study group: 49 patients operated between March 2020 and April 2021 (during the pandemic).
• Control group: 152 patients operated between January 2019 and December 2019 (pre-pandemic).

Main Results:

• No significant differences were observed in surgical approach, stoma prevalence, postoperative complications, or hospital readmission rates between the groups.
• A statistically significant increase in T4b tumor stage was noted in the pandemic group (12.2% vs. 3.3%, p=0.027).
• Locally advanced tumors (Stage IIC) were significantly more common in patients operated during the COVID-19 pandemic (10.2% vs. 1.3%, p=0.01).

Conclusions:

• The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a higher incidence of locally advanced colorectal cancer.
• Pandemic-induced strain on healthcare systems may have contributed to delayed diagnoses or treatment, resulting in advanced tumor stages.
• Further research is warranted to confirm these findings and explore mitigation strategies.