Journal of Gastric Cancer

The Korean Gastric Cancer Association (대한위암학회)
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Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 on Gastric Cancer Diagnosis and Stage: A Single-Institute Study in South Korea

  • Moonki Hong (Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Mingee Choi (Department of Healthcare Management, Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University) ;
  • JiHyun Lee (Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea) ;
  • Kyoo Hyun Kim (Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Hyunwook Kim (Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Choong-Kun Lee (Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Hyo Song Kim (Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Sun Young Rha (Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Gyu Young Pih (Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital) ;
  • Yoon Jin Choi (Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital) ;
  • Da Hyun Jung (Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital) ;
  • Jun Chul Park (Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital) ;
  • Sung Kwan Shin (Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital) ;
  • Sang Kil Lee (Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital) ;
  • Yong Chan Lee (Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital) ;
  • Minah Cho (Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Yoo Min Kim (Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Hyoung-Il Kim (Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Jae-Ho Cheong (Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Woo Jin Hyung (Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Jaeyong Shin (Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Minkyu Jung (Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine)
  • Received : 2023.05.17
  • Accepted : 2023.09.26
  • Published : 2023.10.31
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Abstract

Purpose: Gastric cancer (GC) is among the most prevalent and fatal cancers worldwide. National cancer screening programs in countries with high incidences of this disease provide medical aid beneficiaries with free-of-charge screening involving upper endoscopy to detect early-stage GC. However, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused major disruptions to routine healthcare access. Thus, this study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on the diagnosis, overall incidence, and stage distribution of GC. Materials and Methods: We identified patients in our hospital cancer registry who were diagnosed with GC between January 2018 and December 2021 and compared the cancer stage at diagnosis before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to age and sex. The years 2018 and 2019 were defined as the "before COVID" period, and the years 2020 and 2021 as the "during COVID" period. Results: Overall, 10,875 patients were evaluated; 6,535 and 4,340 patients were diagnosed before and during the COVID-19 period, respectively. The number of diagnoses was lower during the COVID-19 pandemic (189 patients/month vs. 264 patients/month) than before it. Notably, the proportion of patients with stages 3 or 4 GC in 2021 was higher among men and patients aged ≥40 years. Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall number of GC diagnoses decreased significantly in a single institute. Moreover, GCs were in more advanced stages at the time of diagnosis. Further studies are required to elucidate the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and the delay in the detection of GC worldwide.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

The authors thank all the patients who participated in this study.

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