Clinical trial · Observational
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Waves on Colorectal Cancer Stage Migration and Diagnostic Delays
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
Background/Objectives: The incidence of colorectal cancer in Hungary exceeds the EU (European Union) average, and the cancer mortality rate is also among the highest in the country. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted various areas of healthcare, including cancer diagnosis and treatment. Due to the measures taken to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, not only newly suspected cancer patients but also those already diagnosed and undergoing treatment faced numerous difficulties. Methods: The study included 198 patients with colorectal cancer, of whom 43 participants were newly diagnosed cases. Due to low case numbers in certain COVID-19 waves, adjacent waves were merged for statistical analysis. The number of newly diagnosed colorectal cancer cases across COVID-19 waves was compared using one-way ANOVA, stage distribution differences and the proportion of missed treatments were assessed with Fisher's exact test. In follow-up patients, changes were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Differences in tumor size categories were examined using chi-square tests.
Conditions
Conditions (1)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorectal Cancer | Malignant Colorectal Neoplasm | CURATED_BROADER | 0.80 |
Interventions
Interventions (0)
Data not yet available
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (1)
- label
- Colorectal cancer patients
- description
- Patients with colorectal cancer undergoing MRI examination during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Primary outcomes (3)
- measure
- Tumor stage distribution across COVID-19 pandemic waves
- timeFrame
- September 2020 - December 2023
- description
- Comparison of colorectal cancer tumor stage (AJCC 8th edition) across different COVID-19 pandemic waves and the post-COVID period based on MRI findings.
- measure
- Number of newly diagnosed colorectal cancer cases
- timeFrame
- September 2020 - December 2023
- description
- Monthly number of newly diagnosed colorectal cancer cases across COVID-19 waves and the post-COVID period.
- measure
- TNM classification
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- All
- Minimum age
- 18 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients with suspected or confirmed colorectal cancer * Patients examined by MRI at Szent Margit Hospital * MRI referral issued between September 2020 and December 2023 Exclusion Criteria: * MRI referrals not issued by Szent Margit Hospital
References
Publications (1)
- DERIVEDSzephelyi K, Biro A, Tollar J. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic waves on colorectal cancer stage migration and diagnostic delays. Front Oncol. 2026 Jul 29;16:1837204. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2026.1837204. eCollection 2026. PMID 42591315