<p><b>Background</b>:
There is lack of information on impact of Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic on
routine cancer care delivery.</p>
<p><b>Aims
and Objectives : </b>To evaluate the change in Day Care
Chemotherapy (DCC) and Out Patient Department (OPD) patient numbers before and
after COVID-19 national lockdown.</p>
<p><b>Material
and Methods</b>: Demographic data, diagnosis, type and
frequency of chemotherapy delivered in Day Care between 1st February 2020 to
31st July 2020 were retrieved. Out Patient Department daily patient numbers were
collected. Descriptive statistics, Odds ratio, Chi-square and Student T test
were used to measure change in pattern of DDC and OPD patient numbers before
and after 24th March 2020 (day of Lockdown). Pearson correlation coefficient
was used to measure the strength of correlation between rise in COVID-19 cases
and patient numbers.</p>
<p><b>Results:</b>
3192 DCC and 8209 OPD visits were recorded in 126 working days. Median age was
47 years( SD <u>+</u> 19.06). Breast (17%) and Gall bladder( 15%) were the most
common cancers receiving chemotherapy. There was a significant decrease in
number of DCC delivered in post COVID lockdown [ mean 21.97 ( <u>+</u> 9.7)]
compared to pre COVID lockdown [mean 33.30 (<u>+</u>11.4)], t=4.11, p = 0.001.There
was a significant decrease in number of OPD visits in post COVID lockdown [
mean 47.13 ( <u>+</u> 18.8)] compared to pre COVID lockdown [mean 89.91 (<u>+</u>30.0)],
t=7.09, p = 0.001. The odds of receiving weekly chemotherapy over non weekly
regimes significantly decreased post COVID lockdown with Odds ratio of 0.52
(95% CI, 0.36-0.75) with Chi square of 12.57, p =0.001. Daily COVID cases in
State and OPD patient number were found to be moderately positively correlated
on Pearson correlation coefficient, <i>r </i>=
0.35,p =0.001.</p>
<p><b>Conclusion:
</b>There
was a significant fall in patient visit and chemotherapy cycles immediately after
lockdown. The numbers increased later despite rise in COVID-19 cases.</p>
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.