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Multicenter Study
. 2023 Jan 1;45(1):e87-e91.
doi: 10.1097/MPH.0000000000002564. Epub 2022 Oct 12.

Effects of COVID-19 on Pediatric Cancer Care: A Multicenter Study of 11 Middle Eastern Countries

Mahmoud M Elzembely  1   2 , Abdulhakim Al Rawas  3 , Abdulqader Al-Hebshi  4 , Abdulrahman Alhadi  5 , Ahmed K Ibrahim  6 , Amal Ahmed Zein  7 , Iman Ragab  8 , Eman Taryam Alshamsi  9 , Enas Dammag  10 , Fatiha Gachi  11 , Gamal Hussien Zain  12 , Hadeel Saleh Mohammad  13 , Hisham Haddad  14 , Houda Boudiaf  15 , Ibrahim Alharbi  16 , Iyad Sultan  17 , Khadra Hasan Salami  18 , Mohamed S Bayoumy  19 , Naima Ali Al-Mulla  20 , Nawal Al Mashaikhi  21 , Rami Mohammed Almajali  22 , Roula Farah  23 , Saad A Al Daama  24 , Salah Ahmad  25 , Seham M Ragab  26 , Shady H Fadel  27 , Soha Ahmed  28 , Suleimman Al-Sweedan  29 , Suzy Abdelmabood  30 , Waleed Khaled Kaleem  31 , Youssef Madney  32   33
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Effects of COVID-19 on Pediatric Cancer Care: A Multicenter Study of 11 Middle Eastern Countries

Mahmoud M Elzembely et al. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. .

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, major challenges are facing pediatric cancer centers regarding access to cancer centers, continuity of the anti-cancer therapy, hospital admission, and infection protection precautions. Pediatric oncologists actively treating children with cancer from 29 cancer centers at 11 countries were asked to answer a survey from May 2020 to August 2020 either directly or through the internet. COVID-19 pandemic affected the access to pediatric cancer care in the form of difficulty in reaching the center in 22 (75.9%) centers and affection of patients' flow in 21 (72.4%) centers. Health care professionals (HCP) were infected with COVID-19 in 20 (69%) surveyed centers. Eighteen centers (62%) modified the treatment guidelines. Care of follow-up patients was provided in-hospital in 8(27.6%) centers, through telemedicine in 10 (34.5%) centers, and just delayed in 11 (38%) centers. Pediatric oncologists had different expectations about the future effects of COVID-19 on pediatric cancer care. Seventy-six percent of pediatric oncologists think the COVID-19 pandemic will increase the use of telemedicine. Fifty-five percent of pediatric oncologists think if the COVID-19 pandemic persists, we will need to change chemotherapy protocols to less myelosuppressive ones. Collaborative studies are required to prioritize pediatric cancer management during COVID-19 era.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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