Abstract
BackgroundThe rapid dissemination of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) had dramatic effects on individuals and healthcare systems in 2020. At our tertiary hospital, surgeries were recommended for patients at high oncological risk, with the prioritization of the maintenance of care and treatment of cancer. We aimed to assess the impact of the pandemic on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with urological tumors under the care of a university hospital.Materials and methodsA retrospective analysis was performed of the charts of patients with urological tumors (prostate, kidney, bladder, and testicle) under the care and treated surgically at the Hospital de Base in 2019 and 2020, independently of ethnicity. The results were compared by the chi-square test (with a significance level of 5%).ResultsA discrete increase occurred in the quantity of appointments in 2020 (n = 5,846) compared to 2019 (n = 5,726). The most frequent types of cancer in 2019 and 2020 were, respectively, prostate (70.97% and 73.37%), bladder (18.07% and 12.52%), kidney (7.96% and 8%), and testicle (29.24% and 70.76%). Analyzing 279 surgeries performed on patients with prostate tumors, a 12.7% increase occurred in the year of the pandemic. Analyzing 271 surgical procedures on patients with bladder cancer, no considerable change occurred.ConclusionThe analysis of the impact of the pandemic on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with urological tumors at a university hospital revealed a discrete increase in the number of outpatient appointments and a slight reduction in the number of patients and surgical procedures in the year of the pandemic (2020). More surgical procedures were conducted on patients with prostate cancer in 2020. More patients with bladder cancer sought medical care in the year of the pandemic, and practically the same quantity was submitted for surgical treatment. There was no statistically significant difference among types of cancer.
Highlights
The disease, denominated coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China [1], spread quickly to other regions of the country and around the world [2,3]
A discrete increase occurred in the quantity of appointments in 2020 (n = 5,846) compared to 2019 (n = 5,726)
More surgical procedures were conducted on patients with prostate cancer in 2020
Summary
The disease, denominated coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China [1], spread quickly to other regions of the country and around the world [2,3]. This pandemic has had implications regarding the continuity of the treatment of patients, especially oncological patients. Considering the more advanced age, the impossibility of receiving adequate medical care, and the fact that patients with cancer have a 3.5-fold greater risk of developing severe events related to COVID-19, all elective surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy procedures in stable patients should be postponed [4,5,6]. We aimed to assess the impact of the pandemic on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with urological tumors under the care of a university hospital
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