Anita Lavery, MD, MRCP, a medical oncology registrar at Queen’s University Belfast, discusses the decline in esophageal cancer diagnoses in Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 demonstrated a 26.6% decline in the proportion of esophagogastric cancer between March and September 2020 compared with the equivalent time frame in 2017, 2018, and 2019 among patients in the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry, says Lavery. This translated to approximately 53 fewer esophagogastric cancer diagnoses than expected, Lavery adds. 

Additionally, the study revealed a 59.3% decline in the proportion of Barrett’s esophagus diagnoses during March to September 2020 vs the equivalent time frame over the previous 3 years, Lavery says. This translated to approximately 236 fewer Barrett’s esophagus diagnoses than expected, Lavery adds. 

Notably, as of the first half of September 2020, esophagogastric cancer diagnoses appeared to recover from the decline; however, limited evidence of recovery in Barrett’s esophagus diagnoses was observed, with diagnoses remaining 20% below expected averages, concludes Lavery. 

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Anita Lavery, MD, MRCP, discusses the decline in esophageal cancer diagnoses in Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic.  



Dr. Lavery on the Decline in Esophageal Cancer Diagnoses in Ireland During COVID-19 

Anita Lavery, MD, MRCP, a medical oncology registrar at Queen’s University Belfast, discusses achieving safe care for patients with esophagogastric cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Steps are already being taken in the United Kingdom to better care for this patient population through the British Society of Gastroenterology, Lavery explains. The organization issued a report in January 2021 explaining how gastrointestinal oncologists can move forward during the pandemic, as well as improve care for patients with gastrointestinal malignancies as more individuals are vaccinated and services begin to reopen.

One of the factors under investigation is the best way to prioritize patients due to the backlog of those who require care or services. Ideally, endoscopies would have been performed earlier, therefore prioritizing, and accelerating care for these patients is important, Lavery says. Additionally, vaccinating patients who need to come to the clinic for endoscopies is another process of interest, though it has not yet been implemented, Lavery concludes.

Anita Lavery, MD, MRCP, discusses achieving safe care for patients with esophagogastric cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic.


Dr. Lavery on Achieving Safe Care for Esophagogastric Cancer During COVID-19

Anita Lavery, MD, MRCP, a medical oncology registrar at Queen’s University Belfast, discusses the current state of cancer care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland.

Clinical cancer research and trials in Ireland have continued, and cancer treatments are currently being administered during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lavery says. However, there is still a pressing need to protect this patient population with cancer from disease exposure, as well as to prioritize them for care, as normal medical services begin to resume, Lavery adds.

Providers should encourage patients to go to the hospital if they start exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, according to Lavery. Providing reassurance that hospitals are a safe environment for patients with cancer is of the utmost importance, Lavery concludes.

Anita Lavery, MD, MRCP, discusses the current state of cancer care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland. 


Anita Lavery, MD, MRCP

Articles

Dr. Lavery on the Decline in Esophageal Cancer Diagnoses in Ireland During COVID-19

Dr. Lavery on Achieving Safe Care for Esophagogastric Cancer During COVID-19

Dr. Lavery on Cancer Care in Ireland Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic