2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer (Posters)-EP05.01. Time to Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic

EP05.01. Time to Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic - PDF(Slides)

Pdf Summary

This study aims to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the time to lung cancer diagnosis and treatment as well as the stage of cancer at the time of diagnosis. The study focuses on patients who underwent a diagnostic bronchoscopy at a single institution in the United States. The researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with new lung cancer diagnoses, comparing a pre-pandemic cohort (August 2017 - March 2020) to a pandemic cohort (March 2020 - October 2022).<br /><br />The results of the study showed that there were no statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two cohorts. The percentage of late-stage lung cancer cases was similar in both groups. However, there were delays in the time from bronchoscopy to PET scan and treatment decision in the pandemic cohort compared to the pre-pandemic cohort. The median number of days from bronchoscopy to PET scan was longer in the pandemic cohort, as was the median number of days from bronchoscopy to treatment decision.<br /><br />The study concludes that there were delays in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. These delays may be attributed to the disruptions in healthcare delivery caused by the pandemic. However, further research is needed to understand the specific factors that contributed to these delays.<br /><br />The findings of this study are consistent with previous reports from other countries, which have also shown delays in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to address these delays and ensure timely and effective care for patients with lung cancer, as early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for improving outcomes.

Asset Subtitle

Melinda Hsu

Meta Tag

Speaker Melinda Hsu

Topic Pulmonology & Staging

Keywords

COVID-19 pandemic

lung cancer diagnosis

lung cancer treatment

stage of cancer

diagnostic bronchoscopy

retrospective analysis

pre-pandemic cohort

pandemic cohort

PET scan

treatment decision