Examining the COVID-19 impact on cancer surgery in Ireland using three national data sources

Background: The healthcare system in Ireland was profoundly affected by COVID-19. This study aimed to explore the impact of the pandemic on cancer surgery in Ireland, from 2019 to 2022 using three national health data sources. Methods: A repeated cross-sectional study design was used and included: (...

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Main Authors: Mengyang Zhang, Caitriona Kelly, Triona McCarthy, Paula Tierney, Aline Brennan, Louise Burke, Caitriona McGrath, Maeve Mullooly, Deirdre Murray, Kathleen Bennett
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Global Epidemiology
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590113324000257
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author Mengyang Zhang
Caitriona Kelly
Triona McCarthy
Paula Tierney
Aline Brennan
Louise Burke
Caitriona McGrath
Maeve Mullooly
Deirdre Murray
Kathleen Bennett
author_facet Mengyang Zhang
Caitriona Kelly
Triona McCarthy
Paula Tierney
Aline Brennan
Louise Burke
Caitriona McGrath
Maeve Mullooly
Deirdre Murray
Kathleen Bennett
author_sort Mengyang Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Background: The healthcare system in Ireland was profoundly affected by COVID-19. This study aimed to explore the impact of the pandemic on cancer surgery in Ireland, from 2019 to 2022 using three national health data sources. Methods: A repeated cross-sectional study design was used and included: (i) cancer resections from the National Histopathology Quality Improvement (NHQI) Programmes; (ii) cancer surgery from the National Cancer Registry Ireland (NCRI), and (iii) cancer surgery from Hospital Inpatient Enquiry (HIPE) System. Cancer surgery was presented by invasive/in situ and invasive only cancers (NCRI & HIPE), and by four main cancer types (breast, lung, colorectal & melanoma for NCRI & HIPE data only). Results: The annual number of cancer resections (NHQI) declined by 4.4% in 2020 but increased by 4% in 2021 compared with 2019. NCRI data indicated invasive/in-situ cancer surgery for the four main cancer types declined by 14% in 2020 and 5.1% in 2021, and by 12.3% and 7.3% for invasive cancer only, compared to 2019. Within HIPE for the same tumour types, invasive/in situ cancer surgery declined by 21.9% in 2020 and 9.9% in 2021 and by 20.8% and 9.6% for invasive cancer only. NHQI and HIPE data indicated an increase in the number of cancer surgeries performed in 2022. Conclusions: Cancer surgery declined in the initial pandemic waves suggests mitigation measures for cancer surgery, including utilising private hospitals for public patients, reduced the adverse impact on cancer surgery.
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spelling doaj-art-8f9eb823da4a449fabbcdbda34fcfd3d2025-08-20T01:59:03ZengElsevierGlobal Epidemiology2590-11332024-12-01810015910.1016/j.gloepi.2024.100159Examining the COVID-19 impact on cancer surgery in Ireland using three national data sourcesMengyang Zhang0Caitriona Kelly1Triona McCarthy2Paula Tierney3Aline Brennan4Louise Burke5Caitriona McGrath6Maeve Mullooly7Deirdre Murray8Kathleen Bennett9School of Population Health, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin 2, IrelandNational Cancer Control Programme, Dublin, IrelandNational Cancer Control Programme, Dublin, IrelandNational Cancer Registry Ireland, Cork, IrelandNational Cancer Registry Ireland, Cork, IrelandDepartment of Pathology, Cork University Hospital/School of Medicine, University College Cork, Cork, IrelandNational Specialty Quality Improvement Programmes, Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, Dublin 2, IrelandSchool of Population Health, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin 2, IrelandNational Cancer Registry Ireland, Cork, Ireland; School of Public Health, University College Cork, Cork, IrelandSchool of Population Health, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin 2, Ireland; Corresponding author at: RCSI Data Science Centre, School of Population Health, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, Ireland.Background: The healthcare system in Ireland was profoundly affected by COVID-19. This study aimed to explore the impact of the pandemic on cancer surgery in Ireland, from 2019 to 2022 using three national health data sources. Methods: A repeated cross-sectional study design was used and included: (i) cancer resections from the National Histopathology Quality Improvement (NHQI) Programmes; (ii) cancer surgery from the National Cancer Registry Ireland (NCRI), and (iii) cancer surgery from Hospital Inpatient Enquiry (HIPE) System. Cancer surgery was presented by invasive/in situ and invasive only cancers (NCRI & HIPE), and by four main cancer types (breast, lung, colorectal & melanoma for NCRI & HIPE data only). Results: The annual number of cancer resections (NHQI) declined by 4.4% in 2020 but increased by 4% in 2021 compared with 2019. NCRI data indicated invasive/in-situ cancer surgery for the four main cancer types declined by 14% in 2020 and 5.1% in 2021, and by 12.3% and 7.3% for invasive cancer only, compared to 2019. Within HIPE for the same tumour types, invasive/in situ cancer surgery declined by 21.9% in 2020 and 9.9% in 2021 and by 20.8% and 9.6% for invasive cancer only. NHQI and HIPE data indicated an increase in the number of cancer surgeries performed in 2022. Conclusions: Cancer surgery declined in the initial pandemic waves suggests mitigation measures for cancer surgery, including utilising private hospitals for public patients, reduced the adverse impact on cancer surgery.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590113324000257cancer surgeryCOVID-19Irelandpublic-private healthcare system
spellingShingle Mengyang Zhang
Caitriona Kelly
Triona McCarthy
Paula Tierney
Aline Brennan
Louise Burke
Caitriona McGrath
Maeve Mullooly
Deirdre Murray
Kathleen Bennett
Examining the COVID-19 impact on cancer surgery in Ireland using three national data sources
Global Epidemiology
cancer surgery
COVID-19
Ireland
public-private healthcare system
title Examining the COVID-19 impact on cancer surgery in Ireland using three national data sources
title_full Examining the COVID-19 impact on cancer surgery in Ireland using three national data sources
title_fullStr Examining the COVID-19 impact on cancer surgery in Ireland using three national data sources
title_full_unstemmed Examining the COVID-19 impact on cancer surgery in Ireland using three national data sources
title_short Examining the COVID-19 impact on cancer surgery in Ireland using three national data sources
title_sort examining the covid 19 impact on cancer surgery in ireland using three national data sources
topic cancer surgery
COVID-19
Ireland
public-private healthcare system
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590113324000257
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