TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of COVID-19 on Incidence, Treatment, and Survival of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Netherlands
AU - Furumaya, Alicia
AU - van Delden, Otto M.
AU - de Wilde, Roeland F.
AU - Dutch Hepatocellular & Cholangiocarcinoma Group (DHCG)
AU - COVID & Cancer-NL consortium
AU - de Vos-Geelen, Judith
AU - van der Geest, Lydia G.
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s), 2024.
PY - 2024/10/30
Y1 - 2024/10/30
N2 - Objective: The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) care is unclear. This study reports on HCC patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands. Methods: Patients diagnosed with HCC between 2017 and 2020 were identified from the Netherlands Cancer Registration. Monthly incidence rates were compared between 2020 and 2017–2019. Patient, tumor, process, and treatment characteristics and survival were compared between 2020 and 2017–2019, and between COVID-high (April and May 2020) and COVID-low (June and July 2020) months. Results: The incidence of HCC was lower in May 2020 (IRR 0.56, P = 0.001) and higher in June 2020 (IRR 1.32, P = 0.05) compared to the same months in 2017–2019. In 2017–2019, 2134 patients presented with HCC, compared to 660 in 2020. Time-to-treatment was shorter in 2020 (median 60 vs. 70 days, P < 0.001). The percentage of patients undergoing any treatment did not differ, yet if treatment was not performed this was more commonly due to comorbidity in 2020 (52 vs. 39%, P < 0.001). No other differences were found in patient, tumor, process and treatment characteristics and survival between COVID-high and COVID-low months. Conclusions: This study demonstrated no impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on HCC patients, despite a decrease in HCC diagnoses.
AB - Objective: The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) care is unclear. This study reports on HCC patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands. Methods: Patients diagnosed with HCC between 2017 and 2020 were identified from the Netherlands Cancer Registration. Monthly incidence rates were compared between 2020 and 2017–2019. Patient, tumor, process, and treatment characteristics and survival were compared between 2020 and 2017–2019, and between COVID-high (April and May 2020) and COVID-low (June and July 2020) months. Results: The incidence of HCC was lower in May 2020 (IRR 0.56, P = 0.001) and higher in June 2020 (IRR 1.32, P = 0.05) compared to the same months in 2017–2019. In 2017–2019, 2134 patients presented with HCC, compared to 660 in 2020. Time-to-treatment was shorter in 2020 (median 60 vs. 70 days, P < 0.001). The percentage of patients undergoing any treatment did not differ, yet if treatment was not performed this was more commonly due to comorbidity in 2020 (52 vs. 39%, P < 0.001). No other differences were found in patient, tumor, process and treatment characteristics and survival between COVID-high and COVID-low months. Conclusions: This study demonstrated no impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on HCC patients, despite a decrease in HCC diagnoses.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85208142051&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/dmp.2024.176
DO - 10.1017/dmp.2024.176
M3 - Article
C2 - 39473387
AN - SCOPUS:85208142051
SN - 1935-7893
VL - 18
JO - Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness
JF - Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness
M1 - e243
ER -
