Kleemann J, Meissner M, Özistanbullu D, Balaban Ü, Old O, Kippenberger S, Kloka J, Kaufmann R, Zacharowski K, Friedrichson B. Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer inpatient treatment in Germany - a nationwide analysis.
J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2022;
36:1766-1773. [PMID:
35570468 PMCID:
PMC9347564 DOI:
10.1111/jdv.18217]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
SARS-CoV-2 has massively changed the care situation in hospitals worldwide. Although tumour care should not be affected, initial reports from European countries were suggestive for a decrease in skin cancer during the first pandemic wave and only limited data are available thereafter.
OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to investigate skin cancer cases and surgeries in a nationwide inpatient dataset in Germany.
METHODS
Comparative analyses were performed in a prepandemic (18 March 2019 until 17 March 2020) and a pandemic cohort (18 March 2020 until 17 March 2021). Cases were identified and analysed using the WHO international classification of diseases codes (ICDs) and process key codes (OPSs).
RESULTS
Comparing the first year of the pandemic with the same period 1 year before, a persistent decrease of 14% in skin cancer cases (n = 19 063) was observed. The largest decrease of 24% was seen in non-invasive in situ tumours (n = 1665), followed by non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) with a decrease of 16% (n = 15 310) and malignant melanoma (MM) with a reduction of 7% (n = 2088). Subgroup analysis showed significant differences in the distribution of sex, age, hospital carrier type and hospital volume. There was a decrease of 17% in surgical procedures (n = 22 548), which was more pronounced in minor surgical procedures with a decrease of 24.6% compared to extended skin surgery including micrographic surgery with a decrease of 15.9%.
CONCLUSIONS
Hospital admissions and surgical procedures decreased persistently since the beginning of the pandemic in Germany for skin cancer patients. The higher decrease in NMSC cases compared to MM might reflect a prioritization effect. Further evidence from tumour registries is needed to investigate the consequences of the therapy delay and identify the upcoming challenges in skin cancer care.
Collapse