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. 2022:31:100553.
doi: 10.1016/j.ctarc.2022.100553. Epub 2022 Apr 2.

Impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on prostate cancer care in the Netherlands

Désirée van Deukeren  1 , Berdine L Heesterman  2 , Lianne Roelofs  2 , Lambertus A Kiemeney  3 , J Alfred Witjes  4 , Tineke J Smilde  5 , Geert J L H van Leenders  6 , Luca Incrocci  7 , Ben G L Vanneste  8 , Richard P Meijer  9 , Sabine Siesling  10 , Bart P J van Bezooijen  11 , Katja K H Aben  12 ; COVID and Cancer-NL consortium
Affiliations

Impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on prostate cancer care in the Netherlands

Désirée van Deukeren et al. Cancer Treat Res Commun. 2022.

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 outbreak has affected care for non-COVID diseases like cancer. We evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on prostate cancer care in the Netherlands.

Methods: Prostate cancer diagnoses per month in 2020-2021 versus 2018-2019 were compared based on preliminary data of the Netherlands Cancer Registry (NCR) and nationwide pathology network. Detailed data was retrieved from the NCR for the cohorts diagnosed from March-May 2020 (first COVID-19 wave) and March-May 2018-2019 (reference). Changes in number of diagnoses, age, disease stage and first-line treatment were compared.

Results: An initial decline of 17% in prostate cancer diagnoses during the first COVID-19 wave was observed. From May onwards the number of diagnoses started to restore to approximately 95% of the expected number by the end of 2020. Stage at diagnosis remainedstable over time. In low-risk localised prostate cancer radical prostatectomy was conducted more often in week 9-12 (21% versus 12% in the reference period; OR=1.9, 95% CI; 1.2-3.1) and less active surveillance was applied (67% versus 78%; OR=0.6, 95% CI; 0.4-0.9). In the intermediate-risk group, a similar change was observed in week 13-16. Radical prostatectomy volumes in 2020 were comparable to 2018-2019.

Conclusion: During the first COVID-19 wave the number of prostate cancer diagnoses declined. In the second half of 2020 this largely restored although the number remained lower than expected. Changes in treatment were temporary and compliant with adapted guidelines. Although delayed diagnoses could result in a less favourable stage distribution, possibly affecting survival, this seems not very likely.

Keywords: Coronavirus; Healthcare; Prostatic neoplasms; SARS-CoV-2; Treatment.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. The authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

Figures

Fig. 1:
Fig. 1
Number of new prostate cancer diagnoses per month in 2020 until May 2021, relative to the average number of new prostate cancer diagnoses in 2018–2019.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Number of diagnoses in 2020 compared to 2018–2019 from January to May, presented with relevant dates and measures during the first COVID wave in the Netherlands. Fig. 2a: New prostate cancer diagnoses presented as three-week moving average. Fig. 2b: Percentage of new prostate cancer diagnoses in 2020, relative to the number of diagnoses in 2018–2019 (considered as 100%), presented as three-week moving average. GP: general practioner; *correction for working days.
Fig. 3:
Fig. 3
The number of new prostate cancer diagnoses per 100.000 male inhabitants over time in 2020, relative to new prostate cancer diagnoses in 2018–2019 (averaged). Fig. 3a: Diagnoses stratified by age. Fig. 3b: Diagnoses stratified by disease stage (EAU risk classification). *= significant difference.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Number of radical prostatectomies in 2020 relative to 2018–2019 presented as three-week moving averages.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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