Pd03-11 patient-reported delays in treatment for urologic cancers during the covid-19 pandemic: a national cross-sectional analysis

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 May 2022PD03-11 PATIENT-REPORTED DELAYS IN TREATMENT FOR UROLOGIC CANCERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A NATIONAL CROSS-SECTIONAL ANALYSIS Jacob Lang, Sree Jambunathan, Eashwar Somasundaram, Nagalakshmi Nadiminty, Firas Petros, Ahmed El-Zawahry, Obi Ekwenna, and Puneet Sindhwani Jacob LangJacob Lang More articles by this author , Sree JambunathanSree Jambunathan More articles by this author , Eashwar SomasundaramEashwar Somasundaram More articles by this author , Nagalakshmi NadimintyNagalakshmi Nadiminty More articles by this author , Firas PetrosFiras Petros More articles by this author , Ahmed El-ZawahryAhmed El-Zawahry More articles by this author , Obi EkwennaObi Ekwenna More articles by this author , and Puneet SindhwaniPuneet Sindhwani More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000002518.11AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted every facet of medical care, without exception in urologic cancer care. Access to care and surgery rates significantly decreased during the initial period of the pandemic, but the overall impact on care and survival has not yet been fully appreciated. This study aims to characterize and analyze patient reported delays in treatment or ancillary care due to the pandemic for the two most common urologic cancers, prostate cancer (PC) and bladder cancer (BC) at the national level. METHODS: This retrospective, cross-sectional study used the National Health Interview Survey 2020, which consists of a nationally representative sample of 31,568 adults 18 or older. Data were then weighted to account for complex survey design and provide national estimates. Patients with a known history of PC or BC were included. Proportion of patients reporting changes, delays, or cancellations to cancer treatment or other ancillary care during the pandemic were analyzed and compared across cancer groups. RESULTS: A sample-weighted estimate of 1,720,245 patients with history of PC (n=1,439,867, 83.7%) or BC (n=280,379, 16.3%) of known treatment or other care status during Covid-19 were included. 282,929 (16.5%) reported receiving or supposed to be receiving treatment since the start of the pandemic, while 298,116 (17.3%) reported needing other care including lab visits, imaging, monitoring visits, rehabilitation, physical therapy, care for side-effects, or visits with medical specialists. Of those receiving or supposed to be receiving treatment, 76,984 (27.2%; 95% CI 15.7-43.0%) reported their cancer treatment was changed, delayed, or cancelled due to the pandemic, with no significant difference between those with history of PC vs. BC (27.2% vs. 27.5%; P=.99). Of those needing other care, 73,189 (24.5%; 95% CI 13.8-39.7%) reported change, delay, or cancellation due to the pandemic, again with no significant difference between patients with history of PC vs. BC (24.4% vs. 26.0%; P=0.93). CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 1/4 of PC and BC patients requiring treatment or other ancillary care during the pandemic reported change, delay, or cancellation. Delays in BC treatment have previously been shown to increase mortality, thus necessitating further study of the long-term implications of delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic on outcomes. Source of Funding: None © 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 207Issue Supplement 5May 2022Page: e46 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Jacob Lang More articles by this author Sree Jambunathan More articles by this author Eashwar Somasundaram More articles by this author Nagalakshmi Nadiminty More articles by this author Firas Petros More articles by this author Ahmed El-Zawahry More articles by this author Obi Ekwenna More articles by this author Puneet Sindhwani More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF DownloadLoading ...