The COVID-CNSMDT study group was formed in March 2020 to study the impact of the pandemic on initial management of brain tumour patients at multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meetings and the results have recently been published in BMJ Open.
The COVID-CNSMDT study group included representatives from nearly all major regional neurosurgical units in the UK, including Mr Stephen Price and Dr Alexis Joannides from Cambridge, and collected data from 1221 patients discussed at 80 MDT meetings. Units were asked to indicate whether the management decision for each patient had changed due to COVID-19. They were also asked to give information on the number referred to MDT, changes in surgical extent and the number of patients denied surgery not receiving any treatment.
The results showed that there was specific impact on patients requiring surgery for malignant brain tumours with around 1 in 10 not receiving surgery or any treatment for their cancer. The group also found there was a 25% reduction in referrals to MDT and a 26% reduction in operations.
Mr Stephen Price, lead author of the paper and Co-lead of the Neuro-oncology Programme at the CRUK Cambridge Centre said:
“This data, collected between 23 March and 24 April, covers the period immediately before and after the peak of COVID-19 infections. It shows the impact that the pandemic has had on surgical decision making in MDT meetings, resulting in some patients not receiving the surgery they might have otherwise received.”
“The study also highlighted a marked variation of changed management across surgical units, with some reporting up to 28% difference in management, whilst others reported none.”
Reference: Price SJ, Joannides A, Plaha P On behalf of the COVID-CNSMDT study group, et al. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on surgical neuro-oncology multi-disciplinary team decision making: a national survey (COVID-CNSMDT Study). BMJ Open 2020;10:e040898. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040898
