ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract and the third most common type of cancer worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic, during the years 2020 and 2022, increased the difficulties in offering adequate early diagnosis and treatment to CRC patients worldwide. During this period, it was only possible to treat patients who evolved with complications, mainly intestinal obstruction and perforation. AIMS: To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the treatment of patients with CRC. METHODS: A review of data from a total of 112 patients undergoing emergency surgical treatment due to complications of CRC was carried out. Of these, 78 patients underwent emergency surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020/2021), and 34 were treated before the pandemic (2018/2019). Ethnic aspects, clinical symptoms, laboratory tests, histopathological variables, intra and postoperative complications, and 90-day postoperative follow-up were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Between the years 2018 and 2019, 79.4% (27/34) of patients had intestinal obstruction, while 20.6% (7/34) had intestinal perforation. During the period of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020/2021), 1.3% (1/78) of patients underwent surgery due to gastrointestinal bleeding, 6.4% (5/78) due to intestinal perforation, and 92.3% (72/78) due to intestinal obstruction. No statistically significant differences were recorded between the two groups in ethnic aspects, laboratory tests, type of complications, number of lymph nodes resected, compromised lymph nodes, TNM staging, pre or intraoperative complications, length of stay, readmission, or mortality rate. When considering postoperative tumor staging, among patients operated on in 2018/2019, 44.1% were classified as stage III and 38.2% as stage IV, while during the pandemic period, 28.2% presented stage III and 51.3% stage IV, also without a statistically significant difference between the two periods. Patients operated on during the pandemic had higher rates of vascular, lymphatic and perineural invasion. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic increased the rate of complications related to CRC when comparing patients treated before and during the pandemic. Furthermore, it had a negative impact on histopathological variables, causing worse oncological prognoses in patients undergoing emergency surgery. BACKGROUND (CRC worldwide COVID19 COVID 19 COVID-1 202 2022 perforation AIMS METHODS 11 out these 7 2020/2021, 20202021 2020/2021 , 2021 (2020/2021) 3 2018/2019. 20182019 2018/2019 . 2019 (2018/2019) aspects symptoms tests variables 90day day 90 followup follow up RESULTS 201 794 79 4 79.4 27/34 2734 27 (27/34 206 20 6 20.6 7/34 734 (7/34 13 1 1.3 1/78 178 (1/78 bleeding 64 6.4 5/78 578 5 (5/78 923 92 92.3 72/78 7278 72 (72/78 resected staging stay readmission 441 44 44.1 382 38 2 38.2 IV 282 28 28.2 513 51 51.3 periods vascular invasion CONCLUSIONS Furthermore COVID1 COVID- 2020202 2020/202 (2020/2021 2018201 2018/201 (2018/2019 9 79. 27/3 273 (27/3 20. 7/3 73 (7/3 1. 1/7 17 (1/7 6. 5/7 57 (5/7 92. 72/7 727 (72/7 44. 38. 28. 51. 202020 2020/20 (2020/202 201820 2018/20 (2018/201 27/ (27/ 7/ (7/ 1/ (1/ 5/ (5/ 72/ (72/ 20202 2020/2 (2020/20 20182 2018/2 (2018/20 (27 (7 (1 (5 (72 2020/ (2020/2 2018/ (2018/2 (2 ( (2020/ (2018/ (2020 (2018 (202 (201 (20
RESUMO RACIONAL: O câncer colorretal (CCR) é a doença maligna mais comum do trato gastrointestinal sendo o terceiro tipo de câncer mais comum em todo o mundo. A pandemia de COVID-19 durante os anos de 2020 e 2022 aumentou as dificuldades em se oferecer diagnóstico e tratamento precoce adequado aos pacientes com CCR em todo o mundo. Nesse período, só foi possível tratar os pacientes que evoluíram com complicações representadas, principalmente, pela obstrução e perfuração intestinal. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar o impacto da pandemia de COVID-19 no tratamento de pacientes com CCR. MÉTODOS: Foi realizada uma revisão dos dados de um total de 112 pacientes submetidos ao tratamento cirúrgico de urgência devido complicações do CCR. Destes, 78 pacientes foram submetidos a cirurgia de emergência durante o período da pandemia de COVID-19 (2020/2021), e 34 pacientes foram operados no período anterior à pandemia (2018/2019). Aspectos étnicos, sintomas clínicos, exames laboratoriais, variáveis histopatológicas, complicações intra e pós-operatórias e acompanhamento pós-operatório de 90 dias foram analisados comparando os dois grupos. RESULTADOS: Entre os anos 2018 e 2019, 79,4% (27/34) dos pacientes apresentaram obstrução intestinal enquanto 20,6% (7/34) perfuração intestinal. Durante o período da pandemia de COVID-19 (2020/2021) 1,3% (1/78) dos pacientes foram operados por hemorragia digestiva baixa, 6,4% (5/78) por perfuração intestinal e 92,3% (72/78) por obstrução intestinal. Não foram registradas diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os dois grupos nos aspectos étnicos, exames laboratoriais, tipo de complicações, número de linfonodos ressecados, linfonodos comprometidos, estadiamento TNM, complicações pré ou intraoperatórias, tempo de internação, readmissão e taxa de mortalidade. Ao considerar o estadiamento tumoral pós-operatório, entre os pacientes operados em 2018/19, 44,1% foram classificados como estágio III e 38,2% como estágio IV, enquanto no período pandêmico, 28,2% apresentaram estágio III e 51,3% estágio IV, também sem diferença estatisticamente significativa entre os dois períodos. Doentes operados durante a pandemia apresentaram maiores índices de invasão vascular, linfática e perineural. CONCLUSÕES: A pandemia de COVID-19 aumentou as taxas de complicações relacionadas ao CCR, comparando pacientes tratados antes e durante a pandemia. Além disso, teve impacto negativo nas variáveis histopatológicas, causando piores prognósticos oncológicos em pacientes submetidos a cirurgias de emergência. RACIONAL (CCR mundo COVID19 COVID 19 COVID-1 202 representadas principalmente OBJETIVOS MÉTODOS 11 Destes 7 2020/2021, 20202021 2020/2021 , 2021 3 2018/2019. 20182019 2018/2019 . 2019 (2018/2019) étnicos clínicos laboratoriais histopatológicas pósoperatórias pós operatórias pósoperatório operatório 9 RESULTADOS 201 794 79 4 79,4 27/34 2734 27 (27/34 206 20 6 20,6 7/34 734 (7/34 (2020/2021 13 1 1,3 1/78 178 (1/78 baixa 64 6,4 5/78 578 5 (5/78 923 92 92,3 72/78 7278 72 (72/78 ressecados comprometidos TNM intraoperatórias internação mortalidade pósoperatório, operatório, 201819 2018/19 441 44 44,1 382 38 2 38,2 IV pandêmico 282 28 28,2 513 51 51,3 períodos vascular perineural CONCLUSÕES disso COVID1 COVID- 2020202 2020/202 2018201 2018/201 (2018/2019 79, 27/3 273 (27/3 20, 7/3 73 (7/3 (2020/202 1, 1/7 17 (1/7 6, 5/7 57 (5/7 92, 72/7 727 (72/7 20181 2018/1 44, 38, 28, 51, 202020 2020/20 201820 2018/20 (2018/201 27/ (27/ 7/ (7/ (2020/20 1/ (1/ 5/ (5/ 72/ (72/ 2018/ 20202 2020/2 20182 2018/2 (2018/20 (27 (7 (2020/2 (1 (5 (72 2020/ (2018/2 (2 ( (2020/ (2018/ (2020 (2018 (202 (201 (20