Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric renal tumour presentation and management, a SIOP renal tumour study group study

Background The COVID-19 pandemic had global catastrophic effects on the management of non-communicable diseases including paediatric cancers. Restrictions during the start of 2020 complicated timely referrals of patients to specialized centres. We aimed to evaluate the pandemic's impact on the number of new diagnoses, disease characteristics and management delay for paediatric renal tumour patients included in the SIOP-RTSG-UMBRELLA study, as compared with data from a historical SIOP-RTSG trial (2005-2009).Methods The number of intensive care admissions, population mobility rates and national lockdown periods/restrictions were used as proxies of the pandemic's severity and impact on societies. Clinical and tumour data were extracted from the SIOP-RTSG-UMBRELLA study and from historical SIOP-RTSG trials.Results During the first lockdown in Europe, the number of newly diagnosed patients decreased following restrictions and population immobilisation. Additionally, there was a higher proportion of advanced disease (37% vs. 17% before and after COVID-9, p < 0.001) and larger median tumour volume (559 cm(3) vs. 328 and 434 cm(3) before and after, p < 0.0001). Also in Brazil, the proportion of advanced disease was higher during the national decrease in mobilisation and start of restrictions (50% and 24% vs. 11% and 18% before and after, p < 0.01). Tumour volume in Brazil was also higher during the first months of COVID-19 (599 cm(3) vs. 459 and 514 cm(3)), although not significant (p = 0.17). We did not observe any delays in referral time nor in time to start treatment, even though COVID-19 restrictions may have caused children to reach care later.Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic briefly changed the tumour characteristics of children presenting with renal tumours. The longer-term impact on clinical outcomes will be kept under review.

Automated summary

The COVID-19 pandemic had a brief impact on the characteristics of paediatric renal tumour patients, leading to a decrease in newly diagnosed cases, an increase in disease severity, and larger tumour volumes. However, there were no delays in patient referral or treatment initiation.