Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the hospital attendance of patients with primary cervical cancer in Heilongjiang, China

Abstract

AbstractInformation regarding the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic on cervical cancer in mainland China is lacking. We explored its impact on the hospital attendance of patients with primary cervical cancer. We included 1918 patients with primary cervical cancer who initially attended Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital between January 23, 2019, and January 23, 2021. Attendance decreased by 31%, from 1135 in 2019 to 783 in 2020, mainly from January to June (𝜒2 = 73.362, P < .001). The percentage of patients detected by screening decreased from 12.1% in January‐June 2019 to 5.8% in January‐June 2020 (𝜒2 = 7.187, P = .007). Patients with stage I accounted for 28.4% in 2020 significantly lower than 36.6% in 2019 (𝜒2 = 14.085, P < .001), and patients with stage III accounted for 27.1% in 2020 significantly higher than 20.5% in 2019 (𝜒2 = 11.145, P < .001). Waiting time for treatment was extended from 8 days (median) in January‐June and July‐December 2019 to 16 days in January‐June (𝜒2 = 74.674, P < .001) and 12 days in July‐December 2020 (𝜒2 = 37.916, P < .001). Of the 179 patients who delayed treatment, 164 (91.6%) were for the reasons of the healthcare providers. Compared to 2019, the number of patients in Harbin or non‐Harbin in Heilongjiang Province and outside the province decreased, and cross‐regional medical treatment has been hindered. The COVID‐19 pandemic has negatively impacted cervical cancer patient attendance at the initial phase. These results are solid evidence that a strategy and mechanism for the effective attendance of cervical cancer patients in response to public health emergencies is urgently needed.