Abstract 51: Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Pediatric and Adolescent Cancer Care in Northern Tanzania

• Published in: Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention biomarkers & prevention, 2023-06, Vol.32 (6_Supplement), p.51-51
• Main Authors: Rice, Hannah, Majaliwa, Esther, Cotache-Condor, Cesia, Gwanika, Yotham, Chao, Nelson, Schroeder, Kristin, Rice, Henry, Staton, Catherine, Mmbaga, Blandina, Smith, Emily
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1538-7755; 1538-7755
• DOI: 10.1158/1538-7755.ASGCR23-Abstract-51

Purpose: Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have an increasing burden of pediatric cancer cases over recent years. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic further strained healthcare systems, presenting unique challenges for children requiring cancer care. The aim of this study was to assess differences in diagnoses, treatments, and outcomes of pediatric cancer patients before and during the COVID pandemic in Northern Tanzania. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the demographic and clinical characteristics of pediatric and adolescent cancer patients (ages 0-18 years old) between 2016 and 2021 using the population-based Kilimanjaro Cancer Registry (KMCR). We categorized data into pre-COVID (2016-2019) and COVID (2020-2021) eras to perform descriptive analysis of the diagnosis, treatment, and demographic information before and during the COVID pandemic. We conducted inferential statistical analyses to compare all demographic and clinical variables, and used chi-square statistics for categorical variables with significance set at p