The influence of the COVID‐19 pandemic on lung cancer surgery in Queensland

Abstract Background The coronavirus disease‐19 (COVID‐19) pandemic poses unprecedented challenges to global healthcare. The contemporary influence of COVID‐19 on the delivery of lung cancer surgery has not been examined in Queensland. Methods We performed a retrospective registry analysis of the Queensland Cardiac Outcomes Registry (QCOR), thoracic database examining all adult lung cancer resections across Queensland from 1/1/2016 to 30/4/2022. We compared the data prior to, and after, the introduction of COVID‐restrictions. Results There were 1207 patients. Mean age at surgery was 66 years and 1115 (92%) lobectomies were performed. We demonstrated a significant delay from time of diagnosis to surgery from 80 to 96 days ( P < 0.0005), after introducing COVID‐restrictions. The number of surgeries performed per month decreased after the pandemic and has not recovered ( P = 0.012). 2022 saw a sharp reduction in cases with 49 surgeries, compared to 71 in 2019 for the same period. Conclusion Restrictions were associated with a significant increase in pathological upstaging, greatest immediately after the introduction of COVID‐restrictions (IRR 1.71, CI 0.93–2.94, P = 0.05). COVID‐19 delayed the access to surgery, reduced surgical capacity and consequently resulted in pathological upstaging throughout Queensland.