Physical and mental health outcomes of COVID-19 induced delay in oncological care: A systematic review

Ella D. van Vliet; Anouk H. Eijkelboom; Anoukh van Giessen; Sabine Siesling; G. Ardine de Wit

doi:10.3389/fonc.2023.998940

Physical and mental health outcomes of COVID-19 induced delay in oncological care: A systematic review

Ella D. van Vliet^*, Anouk H. Eijkelboom, Anoukh van Giessen, Sabine Siesling, G. Ardine de Wit

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Review article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic cancer patients might have experienced delays in screening, diagnosis and/or treatment. A systematic review was conducted to give an overview of the effects of COVID-19 induced delays in oncological care on the physical and mental health outcomes of cancer patients.

METHODS: MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for articles on the effects of COVID-19 induced delays on physical and mental health outcomes.

RESULTS: Out of 1333 papers, eighteen observational, and twelve modelling studies were included. In approximately half of the studies, tumor stage distribution differed during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic. Modelling studies predicted that the estimated increase in the number of deaths ranged from -0.04 to 30%, and the estimated reduction in survival ranged from 0.4 to 35%. Varying results on the impact on mental health, e.g. anxiety and depression, were seen.

CONCLUSIONS: Due to large methodological discrepancies between the studies and the varying results, the effect of COVID-19 induced delays on the physical and mental health outcomes of cancer patients remains uncertain. While modelling studies estimated an increase in mortality, observational studies suggest that mortality might not increase to a large extent. More longitudinal observational data from the pandemic period is needed for more conclusive results.

Original language	English
Article number	998940
Pages (from-to)	1-13
Number of pages	13
Journal	Frontiers in oncology
Volume	13
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2023.998940
Publication status	Published - 27 Jan 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
AE and SS were (partially) funded by The Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw), project number: 10430022010014 and are employees of the Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organization (IKNL) and the University of Twente. EV, AG and GW are employees of the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). RIVM received a grant from the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports for the COVID-19 research program, with which this study was partially funded. Acknowledgments

Funding Information:
AE and SS were (partially) funded by The Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw), project number: 10430022010014 and are employees of the Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organization (IKNL) and the University of Twente. EV, AG and GW are employees of the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). RIVM received a grant from the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports for the COVID-19 research program, with which this study was partially funded.

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2023 van Vliet, Eijkelboom, van Giessen, Siesling and de Wit.

Funding

AE and SS were (partially) funded by The Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw), project number: 10430022010014 and are employees of the Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organization (IKNL) and the University of Twente. EV, AG and GW are employees of the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). RIVM received a grant from the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports for the COVID-19 research program, with which this study was partially funded. Acknowledgments AE and SS were (partially) funded by The Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw), project number: 10430022010014 and are employees of the Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organization (IKNL) and the University of Twente. EV, AG and GW are employees of the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). RIVM received a grant from the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports for the COVID-19 research program, with which this study was partially funded.

Funders	Funder number
IKNL
National Institute of Public Health and the Environment
Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organization
ZonMw	10430022010014
ZonMw
University of Twente
Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport
Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu

Keywords

cancer
COVID-19
delay
mental health
mortality
stage
survival
systematic review

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.3389/fonc.2023.998940

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Cite this

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title = "Physical and mental health outcomes of COVID-19 induced delay in oncological care: A systematic review",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic cancer patients might have experienced delays in screening, diagnosis and/or treatment. A systematic review was conducted to give an overview of the effects of COVID-19 induced delays in oncological care on the physical and mental health outcomes of cancer patients.METHODS: MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for articles on the effects of COVID-19 induced delays on physical and mental health outcomes.RESULTS: Out of 1333 papers, eighteen observational, and twelve modelling studies were included. In approximately half of the studies, tumor stage distribution differed during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic. Modelling studies predicted that the estimated increase in the number of deaths ranged from -0.04 to 30%, and the estimated reduction in survival ranged from 0.4 to 35%. Varying results on the impact on mental health, e.g. anxiety and depression, were seen.CONCLUSIONS: Due to large methodological discrepancies between the studies and the varying results, the effect of COVID-19 induced delays on the physical and mental health outcomes of cancer patients remains uncertain. While modelling studies estimated an increase in mortality, observational studies suggest that mortality might not increase to a large extent. More longitudinal observational data from the pandemic period is needed for more conclusive results.",

keywords = "cancer, COVID-19, delay, mental health, mortality, stage, survival, systematic review",

author = "{van Vliet}, {Ella D.} and Eijkelboom, {Anouk H.} and {van Giessen}, Anoukh and Sabine Siesling and {de Wit}, {G. Ardine}",

note = "Funding Information: AE and SS were (partially) funded by The Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw), project number: 10430022010014 and are employees of the Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organization (IKNL) and the University of Twente. EV, AG and GW are employees of the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). RIVM received a grant from the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports for the COVID-19 research program, with which this study was partially funded. Acknowledgments Funding Information: AE and SS were (partially) funded by The Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw), project number: 10430022010014 and are employees of the Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organization (IKNL) and the University of Twente. EV, AG and GW are employees of the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). RIVM received a grant from the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports for the COVID-19 research program, with which this study was partially funded. Publisher Copyright: Copyright {\textcopyright} 2023 van Vliet, Eijkelboom, van Giessen, Siesling and de Wit.",

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doi = "10.3389/fonc.2023.998940",

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T2 - A systematic review

AU - van Vliet, Ella D.

AU - Eijkelboom, Anouk H.

AU - van Giessen, Anoukh

AU - Siesling, Sabine

AU - de Wit, G. Ardine

N1 - Funding Information: AE and SS were (partially) funded by The Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw), project number: 10430022010014 and are employees of the Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organization (IKNL) and the University of Twente. EV, AG and GW are employees of the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). RIVM received a grant from the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports for the COVID-19 research program, with which this study was partially funded. Acknowledgments Funding Information: AE and SS were (partially) funded by The Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw), project number: 10430022010014 and are employees of the Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organization (IKNL) and the University of Twente. EV, AG and GW are employees of the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). RIVM received a grant from the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports for the COVID-19 research program, with which this study was partially funded. Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2023 van Vliet, Eijkelboom, van Giessen, Siesling and de Wit.

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N2 - BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic cancer patients might have experienced delays in screening, diagnosis and/or treatment. A systematic review was conducted to give an overview of the effects of COVID-19 induced delays in oncological care on the physical and mental health outcomes of cancer patients.METHODS: MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for articles on the effects of COVID-19 induced delays on physical and mental health outcomes.RESULTS: Out of 1333 papers, eighteen observational, and twelve modelling studies were included. In approximately half of the studies, tumor stage distribution differed during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic. Modelling studies predicted that the estimated increase in the number of deaths ranged from -0.04 to 30%, and the estimated reduction in survival ranged from 0.4 to 35%. Varying results on the impact on mental health, e.g. anxiety and depression, were seen.CONCLUSIONS: Due to large methodological discrepancies between the studies and the varying results, the effect of COVID-19 induced delays on the physical and mental health outcomes of cancer patients remains uncertain. While modelling studies estimated an increase in mortality, observational studies suggest that mortality might not increase to a large extent. More longitudinal observational data from the pandemic period is needed for more conclusive results.

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KW - stage

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Physical and mental health outcomes of COVID-19 induced delay in oncological care: A systematic review

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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