The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the small cell lung cancer epidemiology

Abstract Objectives To explore the potential impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the epidemiology of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Methods SCLC patients were collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End-Results (SEER) database (diagnosed between 2018 and 2021) an...

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Main Authors: Xuemei Zhang, Lele Chang, Wansu Xu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-06-01
Series:Discover Oncology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-02816-5
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author Xuemei Zhang
Lele Chang
Wansu Xu
author_facet Xuemei Zhang
Lele Chang
Wansu Xu
author_sort Xuemei Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Objectives To explore the potential impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the epidemiology of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Methods SCLC patients were collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End-Results (SEER) database (diagnosed between 2018 and 2021) and grouped according to the timing of the COVID-19 pandemic. Intergroup comparisons and survival analyses were performed on clinicopathologic characteristics and survival data to explore the differences in morbidity characteristics and survival in SCLC patients before and after the pandemic. Results SCLC Patients diagnosed in the post-COVID-19 pandemic tended to have earlier tumor stage, receive chemotherapy (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02–1.27, P-value = 0.02) rather than radiotherapy (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.84–0.96, P-value < 0.01), and have increased time to treatment delay. Balancing follow-up time and constructing improved survival curves, patients with SCLC diagnosed after the pandemic tended to have a worse prognosis. Conclusions Differences in some clinicopathologic factors and treatment choices, or the pandemic itself, may result in a tendency for patients with SCLC diagnosed after the pandemic to have a worse prognosis, alerting clinicians to the need to focus on the management and treatment of this population.
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spelling doaj-art-23d43df86c5e4fb8b5df5f5d38be80ae2025-08-20T02:07:45ZengSpringerDiscover Oncology2730-60112025-06-0116111310.1007/s12672-025-02816-5The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the small cell lung cancer epidemiologyXuemei Zhang0Lele Chang1Wansu Xu2Department of Radiation Oncology, The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People’s HospitalDepartments of Gynecology, Fujian Cancer Hospital and Fujian Medical University Cancer Hospital, Fujian Medical UniversityDepartment of Radiation Oncology, The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People’s HospitalAbstract Objectives To explore the potential impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the epidemiology of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Methods SCLC patients were collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End-Results (SEER) database (diagnosed between 2018 and 2021) and grouped according to the timing of the COVID-19 pandemic. Intergroup comparisons and survival analyses were performed on clinicopathologic characteristics and survival data to explore the differences in morbidity characteristics and survival in SCLC patients before and after the pandemic. Results SCLC Patients diagnosed in the post-COVID-19 pandemic tended to have earlier tumor stage, receive chemotherapy (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02–1.27, P-value = 0.02) rather than radiotherapy (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.84–0.96, P-value < 0.01), and have increased time to treatment delay. Balancing follow-up time and constructing improved survival curves, patients with SCLC diagnosed after the pandemic tended to have a worse prognosis. Conclusions Differences in some clinicopathologic factors and treatment choices, or the pandemic itself, may result in a tendency for patients with SCLC diagnosed after the pandemic to have a worse prognosis, alerting clinicians to the need to focus on the management and treatment of this population.https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-02816-5Small cell lung cancerCOVID-19DiagnosisRadiotherapyPrognosis
spellingShingle Xuemei Zhang
Lele Chang
Wansu Xu
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the small cell lung cancer epidemiology
Discover Oncology
Small cell lung cancer
COVID-19
Diagnosis
Radiotherapy
Prognosis
title The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the small cell lung cancer epidemiology
title_full The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the small cell lung cancer epidemiology
title_fullStr The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the small cell lung cancer epidemiology
title_full_unstemmed The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the small cell lung cancer epidemiology
title_short The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the small cell lung cancer epidemiology
title_sort impact of the covid 19 pandemic on the small cell lung cancer epidemiology
topic Small cell lung cancer
COVID-19
Diagnosis
Radiotherapy
Prognosis
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-02816-5
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