Cancer detection during the COVID-19 pandemic-Experiences in primary care and recommendations for the future

Marinde F R Siepman Van den Berg; Matthew Grant; Nicole van Erp; Carla H van Gils; Jean Muris; Daan Brandenbarg; Kristel M van Asselt; Niek J de Wit; Charles W Helsper; COVID and Cancer‐NL Consortium

doi:10.1002/jgf2.597

Cancer detection during the COVID-19 pandemic-Experiences in primary care and recommendations for the future

J Gen Fam Med. 2022 Dec 14;24(2):131-134. doi: 10.1002/jgf2.597. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Marinde F R Siepman Van den Berg¹, Matthew Grant¹, Nicole van Erp¹, Carla H van Gils¹, Jean Muris², Daan Brandenbarg³, Kristel M van Asselt⁴, Niek J de Wit¹, Charles W Helsper¹; COVID and Cancer‐NL Consortium

Affiliations

¹ University Medical Centre Utrecht, Julius Centre for Health Sciences and Primary Care Utrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands.
² Department of General Practice Maastricht University Care and Public Health Research Institute Maastricht The Netherlands.
³ Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine University Medical Centre Groningen Groningen The Netherlands.
⁴ Department of General Practice Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands.

Abstract

Background: To describe general practitioners (GPs) experiences with the impact COVID-19 on the duration of cancer detection.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey study among Dutch GPs.

Results: Fifty-eight GPs participated. During the first wave, COVID-19-related delays were experienced by 88%, 52%, and 67% of GPs in the contact-seeking, primary care, and referral phases, respectively. GPs reported delays due to telehealth consultations, longer waiting times and patient's concerns of COVID infections and overburdening GPs.

Conclusions: The majority of GPs experienced delays in cancer diagnostic processes during the beginning of the COVID pandemic, which was most prominent in the timeliness in which patients sought GP care.

Keywords: COVID; cancer; cancer diagnosis; family medicine; primary care.