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Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cancer Clinical Trials

Judy C Boughey1, Rebecca A Snyder2, Olga Kantor3

  • 1Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA. Boughey.judy@mayo.edu.

Annals of Surgical Oncology
|July 8, 2021
PubMed

Insights

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted cancer clinical trials, affecting patient participation and trial accrual. Adaptations like remote consent and local study activities helped mitigate these impacts over time.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Clinical Research
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered healthcare delivery and cancer research operations.
  • Remote work for healthcare staff and reduced patient visits impacted clinical trial participation.
  • Cancer clinical trial accrual experienced an initial decline due to the pandemic.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer clinical trials.
  • To describe the modifications implemented in cancer research protocols and trial conduct.
  • To discuss changes at local, cooperative group, and national levels in response to the pandemic.

Main Methods:

  • Review of operational changes in cancer clinical trials during the pandemic.
  • Analysis of clinical trial participation and accrual trends.
  • Description of protocol modifications, including remote consent and decentralized study activities.

Main Results:

  • Cancer clinical trial accrual initially dropped but showed improvement over time.
  • Protocol adjustments included remote (telephone/video) consent options.
  • Decentralization of study activities to local providers and labs facilitated continued patient participation.

Conclusions:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated significant adaptations in cancer clinical trial conduct.
  • Flexibility in trial protocols and operations was crucial for maintaining research continuity.
  • These changes offer insights for future resilience in cancer research during public health crises.

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