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Cancer
. 2020 Jul 10.
doi: 10.1002/cncr.33075. Online ahead of print.
Impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic on Pediatric Oncology Care in the Middle East, North Africa, and West Asia Region: A Report From the Pediatric Oncology East and Mediterranean (POEM) Group
Raya Saab 1 , Anas Obeid 1 , Fatiha Gachi 2 , Houda Boudiaf 3 , Lilit Sargsyan 4 , Khulood Al-Saad 5 , Tamar Javakhadze 6 , Azim Mehrvar 7 , Sawsan Sati Abbas 8 , Yasir Saadoon Abed Al-Agele 9 , Salma Al-Haddad 10 , Mouroge Hashim Al Ani 11 , Suleiman Al-Sweedan 12 , Amani Al Kofide 13 , Wasil Jastaniah 14 15 , Nisreen Khalifa 16 , Elie Bechara 17 , Malek Baassiri 18 19 , Peter Noun 20 , Jamila El-Houdzi 21 , Mohammed Khattab 22 , Krishna Sagar Sharma 23 , Yasser Wali 24 , Naureen Mushtaq 25 , Aliya Batool 26 , Mahwish Faizan 27 , Muhammad Rafie Raza 28 , Mohammad Najajreh 29 , Mohammed Awad Mohammed Abdallah 30 , Ghada Sousan 31 , Khaled M Ghanem 32 , Ulker Kocak 33 , Tezer Kutluk 34 , Hacı Ahmet Demir 35 , Hamoud Hodeish 36 , Samar Muwakkit 1 , Asim Belgaumi 25 , Abdul-Hakim Al-Rawas 24 , Sima Jeha 37
Affiliations
- PMID: 32648950
- DOI: 10.1002/cncr.33075
Abstract
Background: Childhood cancer is a highly curable disease when timely diagnosis and appropriate therapy are provided. A negative impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on access to care for children with cancer is likely but has not been evaluated.
Methods: A 34-item survey focusing on barriers to pediatric oncology management during the COVID-19 pandemic was distributed to heads of pediatric oncology units within the Pediatric Oncology East and Mediterranean (POEM) collaborative group, from the Middle East, North Africa, and West Asia. Responses were collected on April 11 through 22, 2020. Corresponding rates of proven COVID-19 cases and deaths were retrieved from the World Health Organization database.
Results: In total, 34 centers from 19 countries participated. Almost all centers applied guidelines to optimize resource utilization and safety, including delaying off-treatment visits, rotating and reducing staff, and implementing social distancing, hand hygiene measures, and personal protective equipment use. Essential treatments, including chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy, were delayed in 29% to 44% of centers, and 24% of centers restricted acceptance of new patients. Clinical care delivery was reported as negatively affected in 28% of centers. Greater than 70% of centers reported shortages in blood products, and 47% to 62% reported interruptions in surgery and radiation as well as medication shortages. However, bed availability was affected in <30% of centers, reflecting the low rates of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the corresponding countries at the time of the survey.
Conclusions: Mechanisms to approach childhood cancer treatment delivery during crises need to be re-evaluated, because treatment interruptions and delays are expected to affect patient outcomes in this otherwise largely curable disease.
Keywords: care delivery; coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); middle-income countries; pandemic; pediatric oncology.