Impact of regional SARS-CoV-2 proceedings on changes in diagnoses of pediatric malignancies in Bavaria during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic affected daily life significantly and had massive consequences for healthcare systems with tremendous regional differences. This retrospective study aimed to investigate whether the pandemic and resulting societal changes impacted the diagnosis of pediatric malignancies in a distinct region. Pediatric cancer cases in Bavaria (2016-2021) and SARS-CoV-2 proceedings during the peak phase of the pandemic (2020-2021) were retrospectively analyzed. All new diagnoses of pediatric malignancies reported from cancer centers in Bavaria were included. Clinical data from pre-pandemic years was compared to diagnoses made during the pandemic. Official SARS-CoV-2 reports were received from the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority and data on regional pandemic measures were obtained from the Healthcare Data Platform. With this design, a comprehensive analysis of the pandemic proceedings was performed. We found significantly decreased incidence-rate ratios for pediatric cancer diagnosis during the early spring peak of SARS-CoV-2 as it was observed in May during the pandemic, followed by non-significantly increased metastatic cancer diagnosis two months later. Additionally, the time-to-diagnosis of pediatric malignancies was significantly prolonged during the pandemic, and outpatient contacts were significantly reduced, although the availability of consultations remained the same. From our findings, we may hypothesize that there have been effects on pediatric cancer diagnosis during the COVID-19 pandemic at vulnerable times. Interpretation of changes remains speculative with potential causes from behavior patterns, such as hesitation, concerns, and potential societal changes during phases of public restrictions, rather than overwhelmed medical capacities. Nevertheless, specific awareness is needed to protect this patient population during potential future pandemics.