Evaluating the burden of the COVID‑19 pandemic on patients with colorectal cancer
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- Published online on: June 16, 2022 https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2022.13383
- Article Number: 263
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Abstract
After the emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) pandemic, individuals needing medical help preferred to not go to the hospital to avoid the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. The present study investigated the influence of the COVID‑19 pandemic on patients with colorectal cancer. Patients with colorectal cancer treated between January and December 2019 were classified as the pre‑pandemic group (pre‑group) and those treated between April 2020 and March 2021 as the post‑pandemic group (pandemic group). The clinicopathologic features of patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer in the two groups were retrospectively compared. A total of 161 patients were enrolled: 79 In the pre‑group and 82 in the pandemic group. Although no significant differences were observed in tumor location and surgical procedure between the two groups, circumferential lesions (P<0.001), colorectal stenting (P=0.016) and Stage IV classification (P=0.019) had a higher frequency in the pandemic group compared with the pre‑group; additionally, surgical curability was significantly lower (P=0.036) in the pandemic group. The spread of COVID‑19 has increased the incidence of patients with advanced colorectal cancer. To reduce this incidence, healthcare professionals should inform the general public not only about the risk of COVID‑19, but also about the increased incidence of advanced colorectal cancer after the pandemic.
