Abstract
Background: There is lack of information on impact of Corona
Virus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic on routine cancer care delivery.
Aims and Objectives : To evaluate the change in Day Care
Chemotherapy (DCC) and Out Patient Department (OPD) patient numbers
before and after COVID-19 national lockdown.
Material and Methods: Demographic data, diagnosis, type and
frequency of chemotherapy delivered in Day Care between 1st February
2020 to 31st July 2020 were retrieved. Out Patient Department daily
patient numbers were collected. Descriptive statistics, Odds ratio,
Chi-square and Student T test were used to measure change in pattern of
DDC and OPD patient numbers before and after 24th March 2020 (day of
Lockdown). Pearson correlation coefficient was used to measure the
strength of correlation between rise in COVID-19 cases and patient
numbers.
Results: 3192 DCC and 8209 OPD visits were recorded in 126
working days. Median age was 47 years( SD + 19.06). Breast (17%) and
Gall bladder( 15%) were the most common cancers receiving chemotherapy.
There was a significant decrease in number of DCC delivered in post
COVID lockdown [ mean 21.97 ( + 9.7)] compared to pre COVID lockdown
[mean 33.30 (+11.4)], t=4.11, p = 0.001.There was a significant
decrease in number of OPD visits in post COVID lockdown [ mean 47.13 (
+ 18.8)] compared to pre COVID lockdown [mean 89.91 (+30.0)],
t=7.09, p = 0.001. The odds of receiving weekly chemotherapy over non
weekly regimes significantly decreased post COVID lockdown with Odds
ratio of 0.52 (95% CI, 0.36-0.75) with Chi square of 12.57, p =0.001.
Daily COVID cases in State and OPD patient number were found to be
moderately positively correlated on Pearson correlation coefficient,
r = 0.35,p =0.001.
Conclusion: There was a significant fall in patient visit and
chemotherapy cycles immediately after lockdown. The numbers increased
later despite rise in COVID-19 cases.