Impact of COVID-19 on Treatment in Patients with Renal Cell Carcinoma

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The current pandemic has resulted in a significant reallocation of health-care resources, with the recommended treatment strategy advocating for oncology patients was to delay elective procedures. A retrospective analysis was conducted to evaluatethe impact of COVID-19 on patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and the associated treatment protocols. A retrospective review of the inpatient and outpatient records of all patients presenting with renal cell carcinoma during the period from March 2020 to the end of March 2021 was conducted. A total of 26 patients (21 males and 5 females) with a mean age of 55.46±9.44 years were diagnosed with an operable renal mass during the study period. The mean hospitalisation period (15.19±2.28) was found to be longer in patients who required surgical intervention. The delay was attributable to a number of factors, including the necessity for pre-operative testing using RT-PCR, a chest HR-CT, clearance from the chest physician, and preparation. The overall cost of hospitalization increased in these patients compared to the pre-pandemic period due to a number of factors, including prolonged hospitalization, an increased incidence of complications, the necessity for pre-operative testing for SARS-CoV-2, the use of personal protective equipment, and the provision of nursing care. During the same period, three out of eight patients who had metastatic disease with positive RT-PCR were initiated on targeted therapy, while the remaining underwent cytoreductive nephrectomy. The study concludes that patients with RCC seeking treatment during the current pandemic face significant challenges, including delays in treatment, increased hospitalization rates, and a rise in testing, which collectively contribute to elevated treatment costs. It is imperative to conduct a long-term follow-up to ascertain whether these factors have influenced the outcome of the patients in question.