COVID-19 Pandemic is More Dangerous Than We Think

Abstract

Objectives: The Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to pose a threat to humanity without pausing. The difficulties in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients arising from the outbreak are worrisome. Methods: The data of 1060 adult patients who applied to the Department of Medical Oncology with the new diagnosis of solid cancer between February 2019 and March 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. Applications between February 2019 - 2020 were defined as pre-pandemic, and those between March 2020 - 2021 were defined as post-pandemic group. Groups were compared according to demographic characteristics, cancer types, stages, time to treatment initiation, and reasons for the delay in medical treatment. Results: There were 711 (54% female, 46% male) applications in the pre-pandemic period and 349 (48.4% female, 51.6% male) in the post-pandemic period (p