Global investigation reveals first wave of COVID-19 tolls heavily on liver cancer care

Delays in screening programs, diagnostic imaging and biopsies, reduction in the number of physicians available to treat patients with liver cancer, surgery cancellations and the decline in the number of patients enrolled in clinical trials , are just a few of the issues reported in the survey.

The global survey on the results of liver cancer in Covid-19 (CERO-19) conducted by the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) group of the Barcelona hospital clinic, CIBEREH and the Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico of Milan included 76 centers volume cancer treatment organizations that participated in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic between March and June 2020, finding that 87% of centers have changed clinical practice for patients with liver cancer. These centers covered Europe, North America, South America, Africa and Asia.

Globally, about 800,000 people are diagnosed with liver cancer each year, representing 700,000 deaths.

The results, presented today at the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) Digital Liver Cancer Summit 2021, revealed a catalog of interruptions in diagnosis and care. A total of 40.8% of centers reported that they had changed diagnostic procedures, 80.9% had changed screening programs, and 39.5% had changed imaging studies for staging or l assessment of response to treatment.

Of 76 centers surveyed, only ten said they had made no changes to clinical practice, and even among those centers three said patients were reluctant to go to hospital for fear of catching COVID- 19, despite the availability of services.

Dr Sergio Muñoz-Martínez, lead author of the study, explains: “Our results reflect the impact of COVID-19 on the screening, diagnosis and treatment of patients with liver cancer around the world during the first wave of the pandemic. The changes in the liver’s management of cancer due to this crisis increases the possibility that more patients will be diagnosed with cancer at a later stage. These delays have an impact on diagnosis, identification of tumor progression, allocation of treatment and ultimately prognosis. “

Previous studies have shown poorer results are associated with waiting or postponing treatment for two months.

Liver oncology nurses have been shown to have played a more central role in providing telephone consultations with patients and in the digital transformation of services. “The COVID-19 crisis has spurred investment in liver oncology nurses to reflect their growing role, as well as in the education and counseling of patients and their families,” adds Dr. Muñoz-Martínez.

Dr Muñoz-Martínez explained that ongoing research into the effects of COVID-19 in patients with a history of liver cancer, as well as in patients diagnosed with liver cancer during infection with SARS-CoV-2, is essential to identify the real impact of COVID-19 to better inform the most appropriate measures to be adopted in the future, either while this pandemic persists, or in the event of a new health crisis public.

“Future analyzes will provide invaluable information on the clinical effectiveness of the strategies implemented during this devastating health crisis,” commented Dr Muñoz-Martínez.

Provided by Spink Health