Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on care of melanoma patients in Berlin, Germany: the Mela-COVID survey

The COVID-19 pandemic imposes major challenges for care of cancer patients. Our aim was to assess the effects of the pandemic on treatment and appointments of patients with malignant melanoma based on a large skin cancer centre in Berlin, Germany, and identify reasons for, and impact factors associa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inEJD. European journal of dermatology Vol. 31; no. 4; p. 521
Main Authors Teuscher, Miriam, Diehl, Katharina, Schaarschmidt, Marthe-Lisa, Weilandt, Juliane, Sasama, Bianca, Ohletz, Jan, Könnecke, Andreas, Harth, Wolfgang, Hillen, Uwe, Peitsch, Wiebke Katharina
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published France 01.07.2022
Subjects
Aged
Berlin
COVID-19
Female
Germany - epidemiology
Humans
Male
Melanoma - epidemiology
Melanoma - therapy
Pandemics
SARS-CoV-2
Berlin
Germany
COVID-19
anxiety
SARS-CoV-2
melanoma
cancer
pandemic
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Summary:The COVID-19 pandemic imposes major challenges for care of cancer patients. Our aim was to assess the effects of the pandemic on treatment and appointments of patients with malignant melanoma based on a large skin cancer centre in Berlin, Germany, and identify reasons for, and impact factors associated with these changes. Patients with melanoma treated from January 1st 2019 received a postal survey with questions on impairment due to the pandemic, fear of COVID-19, fear of melanoma, changes in therapy and/or appointments, including reasons for the changes. Impact factors on postponed/missed appointments were examined using descriptive analyses and multivariate logistic regression. The response rate was 41.3% (n = 324; 57.4% males; mean age: 67.9 years). Among 104 participants currently receiving therapy, four (3.8%) reported treatment changes due to the pandemic. Postponements or cancellations of appointments occurred in 48 participants (14.8%), most frequently, at their own request (81.3%) due to fear of SARS-CoV-2 infection (68.8%). Current treatment was associated with a reduced chance of post-poning/missing appointments (OR = 0.208, p = 0.003), whereas a high or very high level of concern for COVID-19 (OR = 6.806, p = 0.034; OR= 10.097, p = 0.038), SARS-CoV-2 infection among close acquaintances (OR = 4.251, p = 0.026), anxiety disorder (OR = 5.465, p = 0.016) and AJCC stage IV (OR = 3.108, p = 0.048) were associated with a higher likelihood of postponing/missing appointments. Among our participants, treatment changes were rare and the proportion of missed/delayed appointments was rather small. The main reasons for delays/cancellations of appointments were anxiety and concern for COVID-19.
ISSN:1952-4013