Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40427157›Full record

ArticleCancers2025

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Changes on the Diagnosis, Treatment, and Mortality of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Tertiary Center in Western Romania.

Calin Burciu, Bogdan Miutescu, Renata Bende, Deiana Burciu, Tudor Voicu Moga, Alina Popescu, Alexandru Popa, Felix Bende, Eyad Gadour, Adrian Burdan and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cancers, 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

13 authors.

Calin BurciuDepartment of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Dental Medicine, "Vasile Goldis" West University of Arad, 310414 Arad, Romania.ORCID 0000-0002-3657-4546
Bogdan MiutescuCenter for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.ORCID 0000-0002-5336-5789
Renata BendeCenter for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.
Deiana BurciuCenter for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.
Tudor Voicu MogaCenter for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.ORCID 0000-0002-8978-1856
Alina PopescuCenter for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.
Alexandru PopaCenter for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.ORCID 0000-0002-2451-4087
Felix BendeCenter for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.ORCID 0000-0003-3820-7325
Eyad GadourMulti-Organ Transplant Centre of Excellence, Liver Transplantation Unit, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam 32253, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0001-5087-1611
Adrian BurdanCenter for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.
Dana IovanescuDepartment of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Dental Medicine, "Vasile Goldis" West University of Arad, 310414 Arad, Romania.
Mirela DanilaCenter for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.
Roxana SirliCenter for Advanced Research in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

objectivesAccess to healthcare services was significantly restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to changes in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, limited research has examined how these changes evolved post-pandemic. This study evaluated the impact of the pandemic at a tertiary center in Romania, focusing on diagnosis rates, treatments, and survival outcomes.

methodsA retrospective study conducted at Timișoara County Hospital divided patients into three equal cohorts of 23 months each: the pre-pandemic period (PreP: 1 May 2018-31 March 2020), the pandemic period (PandP: 1 April 2020-28 February 2022), and the post-pandemic period (PostP: 1 March 2022-31 January 2024). Newly diagnosed HCC cases were evaluated for the tumor stage, biological markers, and treatment received during each period. A survival census was conducted nine months after the diagnosis.

resultsDuring the PandP and PostP periods, the numbers of newly diagnosed HCC cases decreased to 58 cases (

conclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic decreased HCC diagnoses, with only a partial rebound in the PostP period that did not reach PreP levels. While the PandP period showed worsening BCLC staging and an increase in tumor numbers, the tumor stage and treatment in the PostP period were similar to those in the PreP period. Similarly, the nine-month survival rates remained similar across all three periods.

Indexed as

COVID-19hepatocellular carcinomasurvival

Identifiers

PMID40427157
PMCPMC12110651

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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.