Stage at cancer diagnosis during the COVID-19 pandemic in western Washington state.

Authors

null

Catherine R. Fedorenko

Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research (HICOR), Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA

Catherine R. Fedorenko, Karma L. Kreizenbeck, Li Li, Laura Elizabeth Panattoni, Veena Shankaran, Scott David Ramsey

Organizations

Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research (HICOR), Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA

Research Funding

Other Foundation
CARE Fund

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted medical care, including routine cancer screening for breast, colorectal, lung and cervical cancers. We aimed to investigate the impact of the pandemic on stage at diagnosis for cancer patients. Methods: Using data from the Washington State SEER records we compared AJCC stage for patients diagnosed with cancer in 2017-2019 to 2020 for two time periods, March to June (initial pandemic months) and July to December (later pandemic months). Patients were included if they were age 18+, diagnosed with a solid tumor, and not diagnosed at autopsy. Results: In the early phase of the pandemic, March – June 2020, there was a shift to cancers being diagnosed at a later stage compared to the same time period in 2017-2019 (Stage III: 13.5% to 14.9%, Stage IV: 16.2% to 19.7%). There was also a decrease in cancer diagnoses for cancers that are often detected through routine screening. As a percentage of all cancer diagnoses, both melanoma (13.2% to 9.8%) and colon cancer diagnoses (7.2% to. 6.7%) decreased during the early pandemic. In the later phase of the pandemic, July to December 2020, the stage at diagnosis showed an indication of returning to pre-pandemic levels with an increase in the proportion of early stage cancers (In situ: 16.6% to 19.3%, Stage I: 38.8% to 41.1%). Stage at diagnosis trends varied by tumor type. For colorectal cancer, the overall number of diagnoses decreased during the initial pandemic months. Stage I diagnoses decreased and Stage IV cancer diagnoses increased in both early and late stages of the pandemic. Conclusions: In Washington State, the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on stage at diagnosis potentially caused by delays or interruptions in medical care. Additional studies are needed to understand how this shift in stage at diagnosis impacted treatment and outcomes for patients.

Disclaimer

This material on this page is ©2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology, all rights reserved. Licensing available upon request. For more information, please contact licensing@asco.org

Abstract Details

Meeting

2021 ASCO Quality Care Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session A: Cost, Value, and Policy; Health Equity and Disparities; Patient Experience

Track

Cost, Value, and Policy,Technology and Innovation in Quality of Care,Health Care Access, Equity, and Disparities,Patient Experience,Quality, Safety, and Implementation Science

Sub Track

Health Disparities

Citation

J Clin Oncol 39, 2021 (suppl 28; abstr 145)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2020.39.28_suppl.145

Abstract #

145

Poster Bd #

Online Only

Abstract Disclosures

Similar Abstracts

First Author: Ariella Cohain

First Author: Ernesto Gil Deza

Abstract

2021 ASCO Annual Meeting

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stage at diagnosis of breast and colorectal cancers.

First Author: Jade Zhou

Abstract

2023 ASCO Quality Care Symposium

Association of health insurance coverage disruptions and breast, colorectal, and cervical cancer screening.

First Author: Kewei Sylvia Shi