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Impact of COVID-19 in pediatric oncology care in Latin America during the first year of the pandemic
  • +32
  • Gabriela Villanueva,
  • Claudia Sampor,
  • Julia Palma,
  • Milena Villarroel,
  • Diana Valencia,
  • Mercedes Garcia Lombardi,
  • Wendy Gómez García,
  • Eva Lezcano Caceres,
  • Victoria Sobrero,
  • Lilia Garcia Rodriguez,
  • Victor Cabrera,
  • Ivan Maza,
  • Thelma Velasquez,
  • Cecilia Ugaz,
  • Jacqueline Montoya,
  • Rosdali Diaz Coronado,
  • Natalia Gonzalez,
  • Simone Aguiar,
  • Agustín Dabezies,
  • Florencia Moreno,
  • Susan Sardinas,
  • Yessika Gamboa,
  • ESSY MARADIEGUE,
  • Ligia Fu,
  • Pascale Gassant,
  • Katiuska Moreno,
  • Oscar Gonzalez-Ramella,
  • Magdalena Schelotto,
  • Sandra Luna-Fineman,
  • Celia Antoneli,
  • Soad Fuentes Alabi,
  • Silvana Luciani,
  • Andrea Cappellano,
  • Guillermo Chantada,
  • Liliana Vasquez
Gabriela Villanueva
Austral University Hospital

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Claudia Sampor
Hospital de Pediatría "Prof Dr JPGarrahan"
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Julia Palma
Hospital Luis Calvo Mackenna
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Milena Villarroel
Hospital Luis Calvo Mackenna
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Diana Valencia
IMAT Oncomédica
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Mercedes Garcia Lombardi
Ricardo Gutiérrez Children´s Hospital
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Wendy Gómez García
Robert Reid Cabral Children's Hospital
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Eva Lezcano Caceres
Hospital Central Instituto de Prevision Social
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Victoria Sobrero
Hospital Zonal Juan Ramon Carrillo
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Lilia Garcia Rodriguez
Centro Universitario contra el Cáncer UANL
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Victor Cabrera
Hospital Regional de Rio Blanco
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Ivan Maza
Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati Martins
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Thelma Velasquez
Unidad Nacional de Oncologia Pediatrica
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Cecilia Ugaz
Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas
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Jacqueline Montoya
Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas
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Rosdali Diaz Coronado
Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas
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Natalia Gonzalez
Hospital Militar Central
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Simone Aguiar
Hospital Santa Marcelina
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Agustín Dabezies
Pereira Rossell
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Florencia Moreno
Registro Onco-pediatrico Hospitalario Argentino (ROHA, Hospital-based Pediatric Cancer Registry from Argentina), Instituto Nacional del Cáncer
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Susan Sardinas
Hospital del Niño Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uría
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Yessika Gamboa
Hospital Nacional de Niños
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ESSY MARADIEGUE
Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas
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Ligia Fu
Hospital Escuela Universitario
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Pascale Gassant
Hôpital Saint - Damien
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Katiuska Moreno
Hospital Verdi Cevallos Balda - Hospital especialidades Portoviejo
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Oscar Gonzalez-Ramella
Hospital Civil de Guadalajara Dr. Juan I. Menchaca
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Magdalena Schelotto
Pereira Rossell Hospital Center
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Sandra Luna-Fineman
Children's Hospital Colorado
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Celia Antoneli
Universidade Nove the Julhio
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Soad Fuentes Alabi
Benjamin Bloom Hospital
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Silvana Luciani
Pan American Health Organization
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Andrea Cappellano
Instituto de Oncologia Pediátrica - IOP/GRAACC/UNIFESP
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Guillermo Chantada
Austral University Hospital
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Liliana Vasquez
Pan American Health Organization
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Abstract

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic strained medical systems worldwide. We report on the impact on pediatric oncology care in Latin American (LATAM) during its first year. Four cross-sectional surveys were electronically distributed among pediatric onco-hematologist in April/June/October 2020, and April/2021 through the Latin American Society of Pediatric Oncology (SLAOP) email list and St Jude Global regional partners. 453 pediatric onco-hematologists from 20 countries responded the first survey with subsequent surveys response rates above 85%. More than 95% of participants reported that treatment continued without interruption for new and active on-going patients, though with disruptions in treatment availability. During the first three surveys, respondents reported suspensions of outpatient procedures (54.2%), a decrease in oncologic surgeries (43.6%), radiotherapy (28.4%), stem cell transplants (SCT) (69.3%), and surveillance consultations (81.2%). Logistic regression analysis showed that at the beginning of the first wave, participants from countries with healthcare expenditure below 7% were more likely to report a decrease in outpatient procedures (OR:1.84, 95%C:1.19;2.8), surgeries (OR:3, 95%CI:1.9;4.6) and radiotherapy (OR:6, 95%CI:3.5;10.4). Suspension of surveillance consultations was higher in countries with COVID-19 case fatality rates above 2% (OR:3, 95%CI:1.4;6.2) and SCT suspensions in countries with COVID-19 incidence rate above 100 cases per 100,000 (OR:3.48, 95%CI:1.6;7.45). Paradoxically, at the beginning of the second wave with COVID-19 cases rising exponentially, most participants reported improvements in cancer services availability. Our data show the medium-term collateral effects of the pandemic on pediatric oncology care in LATAM, which might help delineate oncology care delivery amid current and future challenges posed by the pandemic.
23 Jan 2022Submission Checks Completed
23 Jan 2022Assigned to Editor
23 Jan 2022Submitted to Pediatric Blood & Cancer
28 Jan 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
06 Feb 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
07 Feb 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Major
23 Mar 20221st Revision Received
23 Mar 2022Submission Checks Completed
23 Mar 2022Assigned to Editor
28 Mar 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
03 Apr 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
04 Apr 2022Editorial Decision: Accept
20 May 2022Published in Pediatric Blood & Cancer. 10.1002/pbc.29748