Year: 2021
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background Skin cancer represents the most common malignancy worldwide and it is imperative that we develop strategies to ensure safe and sustained delivery of cancer care which are resilient to the ongoing impact of COVID-19. Objective This study prospectively evaluates the COVID-19 related patient risk and skin cancer management at a single tertiary referral centre, which rapidly implemented national COVID-19 safety guidelines. Method A prospective cohort study was performed in all patients who underwent surgery for elective skin cancer service management, during the UK COVID-19 pandemic peak (April–May 2020). ‘Real-time’ 30-day hospital database deceased data were collected. Random selection was undertaken for patients who either underwent operative (surgery group) management or remained on the waiting list (control group); these groups were also prospectively followed-up within a controlled cohort study design and telephoned at the end of June 2020 for the control group or 30 days post-operatively. Results Of the 767 patients who had operations, there were no COVID-19 related deaths. Both the surgery (n = 384) and control (n = 100) groups were matched for age, sex, ethnicity, BMI, presence of comorbidities, smoking and positive COVID-19 contact. There were no differences in post-operative versus any symptom development (1.3%, 5/384 vs. 4%, 4/100, p = 0.093), or proportion of positive tests (8.6%, 33/384 vs. 8%, 8/100; p = 0.849), between the surgery and control groups. Conclusion These data support continued and safe service provision, and no increased risk to skin cancer patients who require surgical management, which is vital for continuation of cancer treatment in the context of a pandemic. Level of Evidence II.
Authors: B. H. Miranda, R. C. I. Jica, R. Pinto-Lopes, N. Mopuri, M. K. Sood, M. Tare, O. Shelley, N. El-Muttardi, On behalf of the St Andrew’s Collaborative, Fateh Ahmad, Miles E Banwell, David E Barnes, Matthew Griffiths, Amer Hussain, Fortune C Iwuagwu, Loshan Kangesu, Waseem Khan, Niall Martin, Bhagwat S Mathur, Mary Morgan, Paul Morris, Venkat Ramakrishnan, Patricia Rorison, Adam Sierakowski, Kallirroi Tzafetta, Claire J Zweifel, Diana Elena Zberea, Aswin Appukuttan, Tasneem Balgaumwala, Oliver Counter, Swapnil Deelip Deelip, Quillan Young Young, Esther Gathura, Nicola Harris, Will Hughes, Devvrat Katechia, Scott Lavender, David G Martin, N T Mabvuure, Alex Mertic, Adela Miranda, Jo Myers, Fady Nasrallah, Nicholas Pantelides, Sheila Prior, Sreekanth Raveendran, Tracey Sell, Reetu Sinha, Alex Smith, Stratos Sofos, Ben T Smeeton, Jasmine Y M Tang, Amitabh Thacoor, Fawaz Al-Hassani, Anne Tucker
Institution: Broomfield Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W3132932650