RESULTS
During the study period, there were 438 consultations for 123 patients. The median age was 10.93 years (range, 1.58-22.24 years). Sixty-four patients (52%) had finished treatment by March 2020, with a median follow-up of 2.17 years (range, 0.15-13.9 years). The most frequent cancer type was low grade gliomas. Patient´s characteristics are shown in table 1.
The unit also offered care to oncology patients from other hospital in Madrid that was fully dedicated to adult COVID-19 patients. There was a total of 8 newly diagnosed brain tumours. One patient suffered delay in diagnosis.
From all consultations, 320 were on-site and 118 were by telephone. Only one patient diagnosed with a craniopharyngioma was positive for SARS-CoV-2. PCR testing performed prior to hospital admission was negative in 100% of the 29 patients tested. Only one patient had contact with a confirmed case and did not develop infection (Table 1 ).
Delay in treatment and imaging schedules is widely described during the pandemic (3). In our study, there was a delay in imaging tests in 15 patients, with a median time of 49 days (range, 5 -215 days). In one patient diagnosed with medulloblastoma, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was delayed by a month and was diagnosed with a relapse at that time.
Of all patients receiving chemotherapy (47 patients) treatment administration was only delayed in one case. A patient included in a clinical trial could not receive treatment at our institution, but was referred to his local hospital for treatment administration on time. No delays were identified in patients treated with radiotherapy (9 patients).