PR87911

GENEVA, February 2, 2021, /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/--

Digital Liver Cancer Summit 2021: A global survey assessing the impact of

COVID-19 on liver cancer has revealed delays in the screening, diagnosis, and

treatment of the disease, with experts issuing stark warnings on liver cancer

survival rates.

The delays of screening programmes, diagnostic imaging and biopsies, cuts in

the numbers of physicians available to treat liver cancer patients,

cancellations of surgery, and a drop in the number of patients entered on

clinical trials, were just some of the issues reported in the poll.

The global Liver Cancer Outcomes in Covid-19 (CERO-19) Survey led by the

Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer group from Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, CIBEREH,

and the Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico of Milan included 76 high-volume cancer

treatment centres which participated during the first wave of the COVID-19

pandemic, finding that 87% of centres modified clinical practice for liver

cancer patients. These centres spanned Europe, North America, South America,

Africa, and Asia.

Globally, around 800,000 people are diagnosed with liver cancer every year,

accounting for 700,000 deaths.

The findings, presented today at the European Association for the Study of the

Liver (EASL)'s Digital Liver Cancer Summit 2021, revealed a catalogue of

interruptions to diagnosis and care. A total of 40.8% of centres said they had

changed diagnostic procedures, 80.9% had altered screening programmes, and

39.5% had modified imaging studies.

Dr Sergio Munoz-Martinez, lead study author, explains, "Our results reflect the

impact of COVID-19 on the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of liver cancer

patients around the world during the first wave of the pandemic. The

modifications in liver cancer management due to this crisis raise the

possibility of more patients being diagnosed with a later stage of cancer."

Previous studies have shown that poorer outcomes are associated with waiting or

delaying treatment by two months.

Liver oncology nurses were shown to have taken on a more central role in

providing telephone consultations with patients and in the digital

transformation of services. "The COVID-19 crisis has promoted investment in

liver oncology nurses to reflect their growing role, as well as in education

and counselling of patients and their families," commented Dr Munoz-Martinez.

"Future analyses will provide invaluable information around the clinical

effectiveness of the strategies that have been implemented during this

devastating health crisis."

SOURCE: European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL)