Impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on the number of colorectal cancer surgeries performed: analysis of a nationwide inpatient database in Japan

Purpose This study examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of colorectal cancer surgeries performed in Japan. Methods We selected patients who underwent colorectal cancer surgeries between January, 2017 and December, 2020 from the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database. The COVID-19 pandemic was divided into three waves. We evaluated the changes in the number of surgeries performed for colorectal cancer during each wave, stratified by cancer stage using Poisson regression. Results During the first wave, the rate ratio (RR) for stage III colon cancer decreased significantly (RR, 0.94), whereas those for stages 0 to II (RR, 1.01) and stage IV (RR, 1.04) were not different. During the second and third waves, the RR for stage 0 to II colon cancer decreased significantly (RR, 0.96), that for stage IV increased (RR, 1.09), and that for stage III was not different (RR, 0.97). During the first wave, the RR for stage 0 to II rectal cancer increased significantly (RR, 1.09), that for stage IV decreased (RR, 0.84), and that for stage III was not different (RR, 0.97). Conclusions The number of colorectal cancer surgeries changed during the pandemic and varied according to the stage of disease.