Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42645389›Full record

ArticleCurrent oncology (Toronto, Ont.)2026

Patients' Perspectives on Changes in Cancer Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a Survey Among Patients with Gynecological Malignancies and Breast Cancer in Germany (NOGGO-S25/Expression XIII).

Desislava Dimitrova, Jolijn Dirksje Boer, Dario Zocholl, Maja Krajewska, Hannah Woopen, Sara Nasser, Adak Pirmorady-Sehouli, Heike Jansen, Marion Kiechle, Jalid Sehouli

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

10 authors.

Desislava DimitrovaCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Gynecology with Center for Oncological Surgery, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-4228-5158
Jolijn Dirksje BoerNorth-Eastern German Society for Gynecological Oncology (NOGGO), 13359 Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0009-0009-0873-4686
Dario ZochollNorth-Eastern German Society for Gynecological Oncology (NOGGO), 13359 Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-9218-6919
Maja KrajewskaCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
Hannah WoopenCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Gynecology with Center for Oncological Surgery, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-8617-5535
Sara NasserCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Gynecology with Center for Oncological Surgery, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-5719-7532
Adak Pirmorady-SehouliCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, 12203 Berlin, Germany.
Heike JansenDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, TUM Klinikum Rechts der Isar, 81675 Munich, Germany.
Marion KiechleDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, TUM Klinikum Rechts der Isar, 81675 Munich, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-4237-2657
Jalid SehouliCharité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Gynecology with Center for Oncological Surgery, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-5963-6623

Funding

AstraZeneca (Germany) no number
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

objectivesThe COVID-19 pandemic was a major challenge for healthcare systems and social life worldwide. During the pandemic, studies focused on examining structural changes in patient care and establishing new guidelines to manage COVID-19, but very few of them addressed patients' perceptions and concerns regarding changes in cancer treatment during the pandemic. This study aimed to assess the changes in their therapy situation during three waves of the pandemic and the impact on their social life.

methodsThis exploratory cross-sectional multicenter survey was conducted among patients with gynecological malignancies and breast cancer at gynecological oncology centers in Germany between October 2020 and February 2022. An anonymous paper-based 50-item questionnaire, available in German, assessed medical care, treatment modifications, mental health, and socioeconomic burden during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were analyzed descriptively. Two subgroup analyses were conducted, comparing age groups ≤70 and >70 years, as well as patients with and without a migrant background.

resultsOverall, 778 patients met the inclusion criteria of the survey (median age: 59; range: 24-93). In the majority of the patients (77.1%), the treatment schedules remained unchanged during COVID-19 pandemic. Treatment appointments were modified in a small number of patients (9.0%). Changes in therapy schedules were slightly more common among the second- and third-generation migrants and among patients ≤70 years. Despite the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, most patients (83.4%) kept their trust in the healthcare system. Acceptance of preventive measures was high, and 85.9% were willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Psychological symptoms such as worries and fear were reported by more than half of the participants during the last 2 weeks previous to the survey and more common among patients ≤70 years. Only 8.6% were more afraid of a COVID-19 infection than their cancer disease.

conclusionsDespite major challenges in cancer care due to the COVID-19 pandemic, access to cancer treatment and adequate management at gynecological oncology centers in Germany remained stable. The increased psychological burden in crises requires new infrastructure and should be addressed to improve patient care in future crises. The acceptance of taking preventive measures against COVID-19 was high among cancer patients.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsCOVID-19Genital Neoplasms, FemaleAdultAgedAged, 80 and overCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleGermanyHumansMiddle AgedPandemicsSARS-CoV-2Surveys and QuestionnairesYoung Adultbreast cancercancer careCOVID-19gynecological cancermental healthovarian cancerpandemic

Identifiers

PMID42645389
PMCPMC13511060

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.