- Colorectal neoplasia
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The elderly population are more vulnerable for the management of colorectal cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: a nationwide, population-based study
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Hong Sun Kang, Seung Hoon Jeon, Su Bee Park, Jin Young Youn, Min Seob Kwak, Jae Myung Cha
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Intest Res 2023;21(4):500-509. Published online August 29, 2023
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5217/ir.2023.00004
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 Abstract
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- Background/Aims
The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the management of colorectal cancer (CRC) may worse in elderly population, as almost all COVID-19 deaths occurred in the elderly patients. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on CRC management in the elderly population.
Methods
The numbers of patients who underwent colonoscopy, who visited hospitals or operated for CRC in 2020 and 2021 (COVID-19 era) were compared with those in 2019, according to 3 age groups (≥70 years, 50–69 years, and ≤49 years), based on the nationwide, population-based database (2019–2021) in South Korea.
Results
The annual volumes of colonoscopy and hospital visits for CRC in 2020 were more significantly declined in the old age group than in the young age group (both P<0.001). In addition, the annual volume of patients operated for CRC numerically more declined in old age group than in young age group. During the first surge of COVID-19 (March and April 2020), old age patients showed statistically significant declines for the monthly number of colonoscopies (–46.5% vs. –39.3%, P<0.001), hospital visits (–15.4% vs. –7.9%, P<0.001), CRC operations (–33.8% vs. –0.7%, P<0.05), and colonoscopic polypectomies (–41.8% vs. –38.0%, P<0.001) than young age patients, compared with those of same months in 2019.
Conclusions
Elderly population are more vulnerable for the management of CRC during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the elderly population are more carefully cared for in the management of CRC during the next pandemic.
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Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by  - The impact of COVID-19 on clinical practices of colorectal cancer in South Korea
Kwang Woo Kim, Hyoun Woo Kang
Intestinal Research.2025; 23(1): 6. CrossRef - To overcome medical gap in screening and surveillance of colorectal cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic
Yoo Min Han
Intestinal Research.2023; 21(4): 418. CrossRef
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