Cancer care in German centers of excellence during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic

Research output: Contribution to journalLetterContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Volker Arndt - , German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) (Author)
  • Daniela Doege - , German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) (Author)
  • Stefan Fröhling - , German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) (Author)
  • Peter Albers - , Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (Author)
  • Hana Algül - , Technical University of Munich (Author)
  • Ralf Bargou - , University of Würzburg (Author)
  • Carsten Bokemeyer - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Martin Bornhäuser - , University Cancer Centre Dresden, Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (Author)
  • Christian H. Brandts - , University Hospital Frankfurt (Author)
  • Peter Brossart - , University of Bonn (Author)
  • Sara Yvonne Brucker - , University of Tübingen (Author)
  • Tim H. Brümmendorf - , RWTH Aachen University (Author)
  • Hartmut Döhner - , Ulm University (Author)
  • Norbert Gattermann - , Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (Author)
  • Michael Hallek - , University of Cologne (Author)
  • Volker Heinemann - , Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (Author)
  • Ulrich Keilholz - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Thomas Kindler - , Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (Author)
  • Cornelia von Levetzow - , University of Cologne (Author)
  • Florian Lordick - , Leipzig University (Author)
  • Ulf Peter Neumann - , RWTH Aachen University (Author)
  • Christoph Peters - , University Medical Center Freiburg (Author)
  • Dirk Schadendorf - , University of Duisburg-Essen (Author)
  • Stephan Stilgenbauer - , Ulm University (Author)
  • Thomas Zander - , University of Cologne (Author)
  • Daniel Zips - , University of Tübingen (Author)
  • Delia Braun - , German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) (Author)
  • Thomas Seufferlein - , German Cancer Society (DKG), Ulm University (Author)
  • Gerd Nettekoven - , German Cancer Aid Foundation (Author)
  • Michael Baumann - , German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) (Author)

Abstract

Purpose: An increasing number of international studies demonstrate serious negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the timely diagnosis of cancer and on cancer treatment. Our study aimed to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate the capacities of German Comprehensive Cancer Centers (CCCs) in different areas of complex oncology care during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Prospective panel survey over 23 rounds among 18 CCCs in Germany between March 2020 and June 2022. Results: The COVID-19 pandemic substantially affected the oncological care system in Germany during the first 2 years. Persistent limitations of care in CCCs primarily affected follow-up (− 21%) and psycho-oncologic care (− 12%), but also tumor surgery (− 9%). Substantial limitations were also reported for all other areas of multidisciplinary oncological care. Conclusions: This study documents the limitations of oncological care during the COVID-19 pandemic and highlights the need to develop strategies to avoid similar limitations in the future.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)913-919
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of cancer research and clinical oncology
Volume149
Issue number2
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2023
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 36241862

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • Aftercare, Comprehensive cancer centers, Early diagnosis of cancer, SARS-CoV-2 infection, Treatment delays, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19/epidemiology, Pandemics, Prospective Studies, Humans, Neoplasms/epidemiology