1615P Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on diagnosing and treatment referrals of lung cancer patients: A single-centre experience

Abstract

Due to the global pandemic of COVID-19 in 2020, a substantial drop in the rate of cancer diagnosis, treatment and prognosis is anticipated owing to limited health resources dealing with cancer. Here, we present single-centre data of University Clinic Golnik, which addresses more than 40% of all cases of diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer in Slovenia, but was also one of the main COVID-19 treatment centres in the country during the last year. Data for lung cancer diagnosis and treatment referrals through multidisciplinary tumour board (MDT) were prospectively collected through the clinical hospital registry and analysed in comparison with the year before. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. There were 583 patients diagnosed with lung cancer in year 2019 and 614 in 2020. There was no major difference in symptom duration prior to diagnosis: no symptoms in 17% vs 22%, symptoms lasting less than 1 month in 12% vs 5%, 1-3 months in 43% vs 39% and more than 3 months in 25% vs 24% for years 2019 and 2020, respectively. Also, at the time of diagnosis patients did not present in worse ECOG performance status (PS): 90% vs. 89% had PS 0-2 and 10% vs. 8% had PS 3-4 in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Limited stage of disease was diagnosed in 31% and 37% of patients, loco-regionally advanced in 10% and 8% of patients and metastatic disease in 57% and 53% comparing the years 2019 and 2020. Referrals to the first oncological treatment by the MDT in years 2019 and 2020 were as follows: 31% and 37% proceeded to surgery, 9% and 9% to chemo-radiotherapy, 15% and 16% to palliative radiotherapy, 33% and 28% to systemic therapy and 11% and 10% to best supportive care alone. No major differences in any of these parameters was found comparing the two years. In our small single-centre experience, there seems to be no decline in newly diagnosed lung cancer cases, neither increase in later-stage diagnosis. Later analysis will show if this might be attributable to increased radiological investigations performed due to respiratory symptoms and fear of COVID-19 and surely due to timely performed diagnostic procedures and excellent organisation despite the pandemic.