Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39550209›Full record

ArticleThe oncologist2025

Three-year survival follow-up of patients with gastrointestinal cancer treated during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain: data from the PANDORA-TTD20 study.

Pilar García-Alfonso, Paula Jimenez-Fonseca, Javier Soto-Alsar, Iosune Baraibar, Cristina Santos, Adelaida La Casta, Ismael Ghanem, Gema Pulido Cortijo, Axel Mariño Méndez, Roberto Pazo-Cid and 12 more

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in The oncologist, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

22 authors.

Pilar García-AlfonsoMedical Oncology Department, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Universidad Complutense, Madrid, 28007, Spain.
Paula Jimenez-FonsecaMedical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias (HUCA), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, 33011, Spain.
Javier Soto-AlsarMedical Oncology Department, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Universidad Complutense, Madrid, 28007, Spain.
Iosune BaraibarMedical Oncology Department, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, CIBERONC, Barcelona, 08035, Spain.
Cristina SantosMedical Oncology Department, Institut Català d'Oncologia (ICO), Translational Research Laboratory, ICO-Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL)-CIBERONC, Barcelona, 08908, Spain.
Adelaida La CastaMedical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitario de Donostia, Guipúzcoa, 20014, Spain.
Ismael GhanemMedical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, 28046, Spain.
Gema Pulido CortijoMedical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Universidad de Córdoba, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Córdoba, 14004, Spain.
Axel Mariño MéndezMedical Oncology Department, HUCA, ISPA, Oviedo, 33011, Spain.
Roberto Pazo-CidMedical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Aragon Institute of Biomedical Research (IISA), Spanish Cancer Network (RTICC), ISCIII, Zaragoza, 50009, Spain.
Ruth VeraMedical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitario de Navarra, Pamplona, 31008, Spain.
Marcos MeliánMedical Oncology Department, Instituto Valenciano de Oncología (IVO), Valencia, 46009, Spain.
Julia AlcaideMedical Oncology Intercenter Unit, Regional and Virgen de la Victoria University Hospitals, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, 29010, Spain.
Begoña GrañaMedical Oncology Department, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña (CHUA), Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña (INIBIC), Coruña, 15006, Spain.
David PáezMedical Oncology Department, Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, 08041, Spain.
Inmaculada GallegoMedical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS), Sevilla, 41013, Spain.
Miriam LoboMedical Oncology Department, Hospital General Universitario de Valencia, Valencia, 46014, Spain.
Miguel BorregónMedical Oncology Department, Hospital General Universitario de Elche, Elche, 03203, Spain.
Ana Fernández MontesMedical Oncology Department, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Orense (CHUO), Orense, 32005, Spain.ORCID 0000-0003-4630-5830
Eva Martínez de CastroMedical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Instituto De Investigación Marqués de Valdecilla (IDIVAL), Santander, 39008, Spain.
Alberto Carmona-BayonasMedical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitario Morales Meseguer, Universidad de Murcia, Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria (IMIB), Murcia, 30008, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-1930-9660
Enrique ArandaMedical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Universidad de Córdoba, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), CIBERONC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Córdoba, 14004, Spain.

Funding

Treatment of Digestive Tumors (TTD)
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe initial SARS-CoV-2 pandemic wave in Spain in 2020 precipitated significant paradigm shifts in gastrointestinal oncology patient management. This study captures the "Zeitgeist" of this period by analyzing adaptive strategies, treatment modifications, and survival outcomes, leveraging a 3-year follow-up perspective to extract insights from this unprecedented experience.

methodsWe conducted a multicenter, retrospective cohort study utilizing the RETUD-TTD registry, encompassing 703 patients across 19 Spanish centers in April 2020. We evaluated alterations in clinical practice, therapeutic approaches, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related impacts, and patient survival. A Bayesian hierarchical model was employed to identify potential regional-specific frailties.

resultsThe peak of the pandemic in April 2020 catalyzed substantial shifts in oncological care delivery. Outpatient consultations decreased by 13%, with a notable selection bias toward cases with more favorable prognostic indicators. Multidisciplinary tumor board discussions were significantly curtailed (eg, mean monthly colorectal cancer cases discussed was reduced from 40 to 23), compromising qualitative care measures. This occurred concurrently with an average of over 3 oncologists per center on medical leave. Contrary to initial concerns, the healthcare system demonstrated remarkable resilience. The majority of patients received standard-of-care therapies with regulatory approval, albeit with regimen modifications in 15% of cases. These adaptations included extended dosing intervals, dose intensity modulations, and transitions to oral formulations while maintaining unexpectedly stable long-term survival outcomes. The Bayesian frailty model detected minimal unmeasured prognostic factors related to geographic location, and the type of pandemic-induced adaptation did not significantly impact survival. The model revealed that coronavirus disease 2019's impact was less pronounced than other core prognostic variables.

conclusionsThe decentralized Spanish healthcare system exhibited substantial robustness in managing pre-pandemic diagnosed gastrointestinal malignancies, despite asymmetrical, and occasionally severe organizational disruptions. The insights gleaned from this experience could inform future crisis preparedness strategies and optimize care provision during subsequent public health emergencies.

Indexed as

COVID-19Gastrointestinal NeoplasmsAgedBayes TheoremCohort StudiesFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedPandemicsRegistriesRetrospective StudiesSARS-CoV-2Spaincoronavirus disease 2019gastrointestinal cancerPANDORA-TTD20RETUD registrySpainspatial frailties

Identifiers

PMID39550209
PMCPMC12395236

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.