Delayed diagnosis and treatment of children with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19
Delayed diagnosis
Delayed treatment
Pediatric cancer
Journal
International journal of clinical oncology
ISSN: 1437-7772
Titre abrégé: Int J Clin Oncol
Pays: Japan
ID NLM: 9616295
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Aug 2021
Aug 2021
Historique:
received:
09
01
2021
accepted:
28
04
2021
pubmed:
20
6
2021
medline:
20
6
2021
entrez:
19
6
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
COVID-19, the novel coronavirus has caused a global pandemic affecting millions of people around the world. Although children, including children with cancer, have been found to be affected less commonly and less severely than adults, indirect effects of the pandemic on the diagnosis and treatment of children with cancer have been less described. A survey was performed in the four largest tertiary pediatric hematology-oncology medical centers in Israel. Clinical and laboratory data were collected from the medical files of patients diagnosed or treated with cancer during April-October 2020. Seventeen patients are described, who had a significant delay in diagnosis or treatment of cancer. These represent approximately 10% of all pediatric cancer diagnosed during the study period in these centers. A main cause of delay was fear of exposure to COVID-19 (fears felt by the patient, parent, physician, or decision-makers at the institution; or the implementation of national guidelines). Delays also resulted from co-infection with COVID-19 and the attribution of the oncologic symptoms to the infection. In addition, treatment was delayed of patients already diagnosed with cancer, due to COVID-19 infection detected in the patient, a family member, or a bone marrow donor. Fear from the COVID-19 pandemic may result in delayed diagnosis and treatment of children with cancer, which may carry a risk to dismal prognosis. It is crucial that pediatricians and patients alike remember that other diseases still prevail and must be thought of and treated in a timely fashion.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
COVID-19, the novel coronavirus has caused a global pandemic affecting millions of people around the world. Although children, including children with cancer, have been found to be affected less commonly and less severely than adults, indirect effects of the pandemic on the diagnosis and treatment of children with cancer have been less described.
METHODS
METHODS
A survey was performed in the four largest tertiary pediatric hematology-oncology medical centers in Israel. Clinical and laboratory data were collected from the medical files of patients diagnosed or treated with cancer during April-October 2020.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Seventeen patients are described, who had a significant delay in diagnosis or treatment of cancer. These represent approximately 10% of all pediatric cancer diagnosed during the study period in these centers. A main cause of delay was fear of exposure to COVID-19 (fears felt by the patient, parent, physician, or decision-makers at the institution; or the implementation of national guidelines). Delays also resulted from co-infection with COVID-19 and the attribution of the oncologic symptoms to the infection. In addition, treatment was delayed of patients already diagnosed with cancer, due to COVID-19 infection detected in the patient, a family member, or a bone marrow donor.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
Fear from the COVID-19 pandemic may result in delayed diagnosis and treatment of children with cancer, which may carry a risk to dismal prognosis. It is crucial that pediatricians and patients alike remember that other diseases still prevail and must be thought of and treated in a timely fashion.
Identifiants
pubmed: 34145514
doi: 10.1007/s10147-021-01971-3
pii: 10.1007/s10147-021-01971-3
pmc: PMC8212900
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
1569-1574Informations de copyright
© 2021. Japan Society of Clinical Oncology.
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