The Impact of the Pandemic on the Quality of Colorectal and Anal Cancer Care, and 2-Year Clinical Outcomes

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Public Health
• Health Services Research

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruptions to healthcare systems globally.
• Cancer care delivery faced challenges, including reduced access and altered treatment pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the quality of care for newly diagnosed colorectal cancer patients during the early COVID-19 pandemic (02/20-12/20) versus the prior year.
• To examine the pandemic's impact on 2-year disease progression and all-cause mortality in colorectal cancer patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study comparing two cohorts of newly diagnosed adult patients with colon, rectal, or anal cancer.
• Analysis of quality measures, including 30-day post-surgical readmission rates.
• Assessment of 2-year disease progression and all-cause mortality using adjusted hazard ratios.

Main Results:

• The COVID-19 cohort experienced poorer quality of care, with a threefold increase in 30-day post-surgical readmissions (10.5% vs. 3.6%).
• A 12.2% reduction in new patient consults was observed during the pandemic's early phase.
• No statistically significant associations were found between the pandemic and 2-year disease progression or all-cause mortality.

Conclusions:

• Early COVID-19 phase negatively impacted colorectal cancer care quality, particularly post-surgical outcomes and patient access.
• The pandemic disproportionately affected younger patients and those from marginalized socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Further research is essential to understand long-term effects and inform preparedness for future healthcare disruptions.