Impact of COVID-19 on Ill Patients Diagnosed with Lung Cancer at Hospital Universitario General Calixto García

Abstract

Introduction: In January 2020, the World Health Organization declares a pandemic status due to the COVID-19. Lung cancer patients are highly vulnerable to this disease.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of COVID-19 in patients diagnosed with lung cancer.

Methods: A descriptive, retrospective and longitudinal study was carried out in 273 patients with lung cancer, discussed in the multidisciplinary thorax group at Hospital Universitario General Calixto García from 2019 to 2021. Different variables were analyzed and statistical analyses were applied, such as percentage, standard deviation and mean.

Results: The highest number of operated patients discussed in the multidisciplinary group was reported during 2019 (21, accounting for 19.45 %). The clinical stage II predominated in 2019, with 10 patients. Lobectomy was the most used technique and the predominant in 2019, with 16 patients (76.2 %), while 7 were reported during 2020-2021. A total of 17 nonoperated individuals were diagnosed with COVID-19 in these years and 11 died.

Conclusions: During 2020-2021, there was a decrease in the number of lung cancer cases discussed in the multidisciplinary thorax group at Hospital Universitario General Calixto García decreased. Most of them did not have surgery criteria. Lobectomy was the most used surgical technique, although its realization was reduced during 2020-2021. Most of the patients who contracted COVID-19 were not operated and over half of them died.