Assessing the Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Gastric Cancer Mortality Risk.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The global impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on public health has been significant. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for screening and diagnosis decreased along with new gastric cancer (GC) diagnoses.

Methods

This study assesses how the pandemic affected GC mortality using data from Hiroshima Prefecture, comparing mortality rates between patients diagnosed during the pandemic (2020 and 2021) and pre-pandemic (2018 and 2019) periods. The crude hazard ratios (HRs) and HRs adjusted for age, sex, clinical stage, treatment status, and travel distance to the nearest GC screening facility were estimated using Cox regression models. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were also performed.

Results

A total of 9571 patients were diagnosed, with

SUBMITTER: Shigenobu Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10856106 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature