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. 2020 Nov;31(6):e92.
doi: 10.3802/jgo.2020.31.e92.

Impact of COVID-19 in gynecologic oncology: a Nationwide Italian Survey of the SIGO and MITO groups

Giorgio Bogani  1 , Giovanni Apolone  2 , Antonino Ditto  2 , Giovanni Scambia  3 , Pierluigi Benedetti Panici  4 , Roberto Angioli  5 , Sandro Pignata  6 , Stefano Greggi  6 , Paolo Scollo  7 , Mezzanzanica Delia  2 , Massimo Franchi  8 , Fabio Martinelli  2 , Mauro Signorelli  2 , Salvatore Lopez  2 , Violante Di Donato  4 , Giorgio Valabrega  9   10 , Gabriella Ferrandina  3 , Innocenza Palaia  4 , Alice Bergamini  11 , Luca Bocciolone  11 , Antonella Savarese  12 , Fabio Ghezzi  13 , Jvan Casarin  13 , Ciro Pinelli  13 , Vito Trojano  14 , Vito Chiantera  15 , Giorgio Giorda  16 , Francesco Sopracordevole  16 , Mario Malzoni  17 , Giovanna Salerno  18 , Enrico Sartori  19 , Antonia Testa  3 , Gianfranco Zannoni  3 , Fulvio Zullo  20 , Enrico Vizza  21 , Giuseppe Trojano  22 , Antonio Chiantera  23 , Francesco Raspagliesi  2
Affiliations

Impact of COVID-19 in gynecologic oncology: a Nationwide Italian Survey of the SIGO and MITO groups

Giorgio Bogani et al. J Gynecol Oncol. 2020 Nov.

Abstract

Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused rapid and drastic changes in cancer management. The Italian Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics (SIGO), and the Multicenter Italian Trials in Ovarian cancer and gynecologic malignancies (MITO) promoted a national survey aiming to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on clinical activity of gynecologist oncologists and to assess the implementation of containment measures against COVID-19 diffusion.

Methods: The survey consisted of a self-administered, anonymous, online questionnaire. The survey was sent via email to all the members of the SIGO, and MITO groups on April 7, 2020, and was closed on April 20, 2020.

Results: Overall, 604 participants completed the questionnaire with a response-rate of 70%. The results of this survey suggest that gynecologic oncology units had set a proactive approach to COVID-19 outbreak. Triage methods were adopted in order to minimize in-hospital diffusion of COVID-19. Only 38% of gynecologic surgeons were concerned about COVID-19 outbreak. Although 73% of the participants stated that COVID-19 has not significantly modified their everyday practice, 21% declared a decrease of the use of laparoscopy in favor of open surgery (19%). However, less than 50% of surgeons adopted specific protection against COVID-19. Additionally, responders suggested to delay cancer treatment (10%-15%), and to perform less radical surgical procedures (20%-25%) during COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusions: National guidelines should be implemented to further promote the safety of patients and health care providers. International cooperation is of paramount importance, as heavily affected nations can serve as an example to find out ways to safely preserve clinical activity during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Keywords: COVID-19; Health Care Surveys; SARS-CoV-2 Infection; Surgical Oncology.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Triage methods.
COVID, coronavirus disease; CT, computed tomography; Ig, immunoglobulin.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Specific protection adopted for laparoscopic surgery during COVID-19 outbreak.
COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Changing in the management of advanced stage ovarian cancer.
COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; NACT, neoadjuvant chemotherapy; PDS, primary debulking surgery; PARP, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Changing in follow-up schedules.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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