Impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on cancer burden and cancer care in Slovenia: a follow-up study
, , , , , , , y | 13 dic 2022
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Article Category: Research Article
Publicado en línea: 13 dic 2022
Páginas: 488 - 500
Recibido: 11 oct 2022
Aceptado: 30 oct 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/raon-2022-0050
© 2022 Tina Zagar, Sonja Tomsic, Vesna Zadnik, Nika Bric, Mojca Birk, Blaz Vurzer, Ana Mihor, Katarina Lokar, Irena Oblak, published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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Change (%) with 95% confidence interval in the referrals to cancer care services, and patient care provided at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana in years 2020, 2021, 2022 compared to pre-COVID-19 year 2019. For 2022, only data from January to July are included and compared to corresponding months in 2019
| 2020 | 2021 | Jan.−July 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First cancer appointment | -1.8 (-4.4; 0.9) | 5.4 (2.6; 8.2) | 29.0 (25.0; 33.1) |
| Follow-up cancer appointment | -2.8 (-3.8; -1.9) | -14.3 (-15.2; -13.3) | -28.5 (-29.6; -27.4) |
| Oncological genetic testing and counselling | -11.9 (-16.3; -7.3) | 15.3 (10.2; 20.5) | 27.0 (20.1; 34.3) |
| Radiotherapy | 5.7 (2.7; 8.8) | 12.6 (9.4; 15.8) | 13.8 (9.7; 18.1) |
| Surgery | -10.9 (-13.5; -8.3) | 5.8 (3.0; 8.7) | 15.7 (11.8; 19.6) |
| Medical oncology | -2.0 (-5.7; 1.8) | 2.4 (-1.4; 6.3) | 10.9 (5.7; 16.4) |
| All | -3.1 (-4.8; -1.3) | 8.7 (6.9; 10.6) | 15.3 (12.8; 17.8) |
| Radiotherapy | -13.6 (-14.6; -12.6) | -2.6 (-3.7; -1.6) | -2.1 (-3.5; -0.8) |
| Surgery | -13.2 (-14.3; -12.1) | -4.7 (-5.9; -3.5) | -8.1 (-9.6; -6.6) |
| Medical oncology | 2.3 (1.3; 3.3) | 12.8 (11.8; 13.9) | 18.4 (17.0; 19.9) |
| All | -6.9 (-7.5; -6.3) | 7.0 (6.3; 7.6) | 8.1 (7.3; 9.0) |
| X-ray | -8.4 (-10.3; -6.4) | -0.5 (-2.5; 1.5) | -2.2 (-4.8; 0.5) |
| Mammography | 2.8 (0.8; 4.8) | 7.7 (5.7; 9.7) | 8.2 (5.5; 10.8) |
| Ultrasound scans | -4.5 (-6.2; -2.8) | 9.6 (7.8; 11.4) | 19.6 (17.1; 22.1) |
| CT imaging | 22.8 (20.8; 24.9) | 45.7 (43.6; 47.9) | 70.1 (67.0; 73.3) |
| MRI | 14.8 (11.5; 18.1) | 35.9 (32.4; 39.6) | 38.5 (33.8; 43.3) |
| PET | 4.6 (0.5; 8.8) | 8.9 (4.8; 13.2) | 11.7 (6.2; 17.4) |
Number of cancer patients, who first visited the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana (outpatient appointments and hospitalisations together) for a particular disease in years 2021 and 2022 with percentage change compared to the 2015−2019 average by year of first visit, gender, age group at first visit, reason for the first visit and stage at diagnosis (only for those admitted for primary cancer diagnostics or primary cancer treatment). The 2015−2019 average is accompanied with 95% confidence interval, which the numbers for years 2020 and 2021 are compared to (statistically significant lower/higher number are coloured)
| Average 2015−2019 (95% CI) | N for 2020 | Change (%) in 2020 against average (95% CI) | N for 2021 | Change (%) in 2021 against average (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6635.4 | (6458.9 ; 6811.9) | 6217 | -6.3 (-8.6 ; -3.9) | 6064 | -8.6 (-10.9 ; -6.3) | |
| Males | 3334.0 | (3219.4 ; 3448.6) | 3157 | -5.3 (-8.6 ; -1.9) | 2978 | -10.7 (-13.9 ; -7.4) |
| Females | 3301.4 | (3218.9 ; 3383.9) | 3060 | -7.3 (-10.6 ; -4.0) | 3086 | -6.5 (-9.8 ; -3.2) |
| 20-49 | 939.6 | (911.9 ; 967.3) | 935 | -0.5 (-6.8 ; 6.1) | 901 | -4.1 (-10.3 ; 2.4) |
| 50-64 | 2287.6 | (2189.2 ; 2386.0) | 1958 | -14.4 (-18.2 ; -10.5) | 1912 | -16.4 (-20.1 ; -12.6) |
| 65-79 | 2651.6 | (2534.0 ; 2769.2) | 2546 | -4.0 (-7.7 ; -0.2) | 2493 | -6.0 (-9.6 ; -2.2) |
| 80+ | 695.4 | (676.2 ; 714.6) | 721 | 3.7 (-3.7 ; 11.5) | 750 | 7.9 (0.3 ; 15.9) |
| Primary diagnostics | 904.4 | (858.9 ; 949.9) | 884 | -2.3 (-8.6 ; 4.4) | 777 | -14.1 (-20 ; -7.8) |
| Primary treatment | 4791.2 | (4664.9 ; 4917.5) | 4493 | -6.2 (-8.9 ; -3.4) | 4358 | -9.0 (-11.7 ; -6.3) |
| Diagnostics or | ||||||
| treatment for | 874.8 | (824.9 ; 924.7) | 779 | -11.0 (-17.1 ; -4.5) | 838 | -4.2 (-10.6 ; 2.5) |
| relapse | ||||||
| Other or unknown | 65.0 | (43.5 ; 86.5) | 61 | -6.2 (-28.2 ; 20.5) | 91 | 40.0 (12.7 ; 71.9) |
| Localized | 2029.2 | (1956.8 ; 2101.6) | 1943 | -4.2 (-8.5 ; 0.1) | 1843 | -9.2 (-13.3 ; -4.9) |
| Regional | 2061.0 | (2026.1 ; 2095.9) | 1879 | -8.8 (-12.9 ; -4.6) | 1723 | -16.4 (-20.3 ; -12.4) |
| Distant | 1093.4 | (1018.3 ; 1168.5) | 1010 | -7.6 (-13.2 ; -1.8) | 1009 | -7.7 (-13.3 ; -1.8) |
| Unknown | 41.6 | (36.4 ; 46.8) | 56 | 34.6 (1.7 ; 74.8) | 92 | 121.2 (78.3 ; 171.2) |
| Not applicable | 470.4 | (430.7 ; 510.1) | 489 | 4.0 (-5.1 ; 13.6) | 468 | -0.5 (-9.3 ; 8.9) |