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. 2020 Oct;16(29):2283-2293.
doi: 10.2217/fon-2020-0592. Epub 2020 Jul 17.

How does COVID-19 fear and anxiety affect chemotherapy adherence in patients with cancer

Cengiz Karacin  1 , Irem Bilgetekin  1 , Fatma B Basal  1 , Omur B Oksuzoglu  1
Affiliations

How does COVID-19 fear and anxiety affect chemotherapy adherence in patients with cancer

Cengiz Karacin et al. Future Oncol. 2020 Oct.

Abstract

Aim: To investigate how COVID-19 fear and anxiety (COV-FA) affects chemotherapy adherence in patients with cancer. Materials & methods: The records of 3661 patients with chemotherapy (CT) appointments were retrospectively reviewed. Results: The CT postponement rates before and after COVID-19 were 11.6% and 14.2%, respectively (p = 0.017). The rate of COV-FA-related CT postponement after telemedicine was lower than that before (4.6% vs 17.4%; p = 0.012). The median time to come back to treatment of the COV-FA group was 47 days (range 19-72 days). Advanced age (≥60 years) was found to be the independent factor that was predictive of time to come back to treatment (p = 0.043). Conclusion: The CT postponement rate increased after COVID-19. COV-FA-related CT postponement decreased after telemedicine. Advanced age could be predictive of time to come back to treatment.

Keywords: COVID-19; anxiety; cancer; chemotherapy adherence; fear; telemedicine.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Distribution of patients with cytotoxic chemotherapy postponement before and after telemedicine by reasons for cytotoxic chemotherapy p
ostponement. COV-FA: COVID-19 fear and anxiety.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. The duration of postponed chemotherapy.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.. Time to come back to treatment according to age.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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