The Pandemic's Effect on Diagnosis and Treatment of Rectal Cancer

Recruiting

• Conditions: Rectal Cancer
• Interventions: Other: Diagnosed during or not during the pandemic

• Registration Number: NCT05328960
• Lead Sponsor: Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden

Brief Summary

Colorectal cancer is common with an annual prevalence of 6000. The majority can be cured and the five year survival rate is over 60%. In december 2019 reports came in about SARS-Cov-2, which later was named Covid-19. The World Health Organization classified it as a pandemic in March 2020. In Sweden the number of patients with Covid-19 increased mainly in the urban areas in March 2020. Care for patients with other diseases were affected and local changes from guidelines were adopted. In some regions and countries the indications for adjuvant and neoadjuvant treatment for colorectal cancer were somewhat changed. The number of patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer also decreased, as well as other types of cancer. The true effect on outcome with a delayed diagnosis remains unknown.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the diagnosis, treatment and survival of patients with colorectal cancer.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2022-02-15
• Study First Submitted: 2022-04-13
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-04-13
• Study First Posted: 2022-04-14
• Status Verified: 2023-12
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-12-07
• Last Update Posted: 2023-12-08
• Primary Completion: 2024-12-31
• Study Completion: 2025-12-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 8000

Inclusion Criteria

• Rectal cancer diagnosis 2019-2022

Exclusion Criteria

• No rectal cancer diagnosis 2019-2022

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Patients diagnosed before, during or after the pandemic	Diagnosed during or not during the pandemic	Patients with rectal cancer

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Yearly incidence of rectal cancer	2019-2022	The number of patients diagnosed yearly 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Patient's delay	12 months prior diagnosis	Delay from symptoms until doctors appointment
Symptoms at diagnosis	6 months prior diagnosis	Symptoms at diagnosis as reported by patients
Doctor's delay	12 months prior diagnosis	Delay from doctor's appointment until diagnosis
Treatment changes	Diagnosis and 12 months following	Any changes from the treatment plan due to covid-19

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Dept. of Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Ostra; 🇸🇪 Gothenburg, Sweden