J Gastric Cancer.
2023 Oct;23(4):574-583. 10.5230/jgc.2023.23.e36.
Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 on Gastric Cancer Diagnosis and Stage: A Single-Institute Study in South Korea
- Hong M
1,2 - Choi M3
- Lee J4
- Kim KH1
- Kim H1
- Lee CK1
- Kim HS1
- Rha SY1,5
- Pih GY6
- Choi YJ6
- Jung DH6
- Park JC6
- Shin SK6
- Lee SK6
- Lee YC6
- Cho M7
- Kim YM7
- Kim HI7
- Cheong JH7
- Hyung WJ7
- Shin J8,9
- Jung M1,2,5
- Affiliations
-
- 1Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- 2Palliative Care Center, Yonsei Cancer Center, Seoul, Korea
- 3Department of Healthcare Management, Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
- 4Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Eunpyeong St. Mary’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
- 5Songdang Institute for Cancer Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- 6Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea
- 7Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- 8Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- 9Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
- KMID: 2547768
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.5230/jgc.2023.23.e36
Abstract
- Purpose
Gastric cancer (GC) is among the most prevalent and fatal cancers worldwide. National cancer screening programs in countries with high incidences of this disease provide medical aid beneficiaries with free-of-charge screening involving upper endoscopy to detect early-stage GC. However, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused major disruptions to routine healthcare access. Thus, this study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on the diagnosis, overall incidence, and stage distribution of GC.
Materials and Methods
We identified patients in our hospital cancer registry who were diagnosed with GC between January 2018 and December 2021 and compared the cancer stage at diagnosis before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to age and sex. The years 2018 and 2019 were defined as the “before COVID” period, and the years 2020 and 2021 as the “during COVID” period.
Results
Overall, 10,875 patients were evaluated; 6,535 and 4,340 patients were diagnosed before and during the COVID-19 period, respectively. The number of diagnoses was lower during the COVID-19 pandemic (189 patients/month vs. 264 patients/month) than before it. Notably, the proportion of patients with stages 3 or 4 GC in 2021 was higher among men and patients aged ≥40 years.
Conclusions
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall number of GC diagnoses decreased significantly in a single institute. Moreover, GCs were in more advanced stages at the time of diagnosis. Further studies are required to elucidate the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and the delay in the detection of GC worldwide.
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