• ZahraniOmar AlOAFrom the Department of Oncology, (Al Zahrani, Ghorbel, Mukhtar), King Salman Armed Forces Hospital, Tabuk; from the Department of Oncology, (Almajed, Abdelazim), Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh; from the Department of Oncology,, Ismail Ghorbel, Osama Mukhtar, Muneera Almajed, Hoda M Abdelazim, Muhammad N Hasan, Ahmad Mostafa, Aisha A Al Harbi, and Ali Bajouda.
• From the Department of Oncology, (Al Zahrani, Ghorbel, Mukhtar), King Salman Armed Forces Hospital, Tabuk; from the Department of Oncology, (Almajed, Abdelazim), Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh; from the Department of Oncology, (Hasan), Al Hada Armed Forces Hospital, Taif; and from the Department of Oncology, (Al Harbi, Ali Bajouda), King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• Saudi Med J. 2021 Dec 1; 42 (12): 1272-1280.

ObjectivesTo evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on cancer management in Saudi Arabia's military hospitals.MethodsThis multi-centric, retrospective study compared cancer patients diagnosed from February-July 2019 and 2020, focusing on the time duration for acceptance and time for oncologic treatment initiation. Eligibility and referral status were recorded. Clinical data of COVID-19-positive cancer patients were collected and evaluated their outcomes and survival.ResultsData of 1574 cancer patients (mean age, 57.1 years) were collected. Mean time for acceptance was 7.3 days in 2019 and 8 days in 2020, with no statistically significant difference. Mean time for oncology treatment initiation was 38.4 days in 2019 and 44.3 days in 2020, with no statistically significant difference. The number of new cancer patients decreased in 2020 but increased in peripheral hospitals. It decreased in Riyadh and Jeddah hospitals. Concerning referral status, a statistically significant modification was recorded only in Riyadh and Tabuk hospitals. No significant changes observed in time duration for acceptance of new patients and oncology treatment initiation from 2019-2020. A total of 76 COVID-19-positive cancer patients recorded; 72% were symptomatic, 73.6% recovered, 22.3% died due to COVID-19 complications, and 8% died due to cancer; cancer progressed in 7 patients.ConclusionCOVID-19 did not affect oncology service in Saudi Arabia's military hospitals. New cancer cases reduced during the pandemic. Cancer patients are at increased risk for COVID-19 complications, including death.Copyright: © Saudi Medical Journal.

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