A Snapshot of Elective Oncological Surgery in Italy During COVID-19 Emergency

<jats:sec> <jats:title>Objective:</jats:title> <jats:p>To analyze the impact of COVID-19 emergency on elective oncological surgical activity in Italy.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Summary of Background Data:</jats:title> <jats:p>COVID-19 emergency shocked national health systems, subtracting resources from treatment of other diseases. Its impact on surgical oncology is still to elucidate.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Methods:</jats:title> <jats:p>A 56-question survey regarding the oncological surgical activity in Italy during the COVID-19 emergency was sent to referral centers for hepato-bilio-pancreatic, colorectal, esophago-gastric, and sarcoma/soft-tissue tumors. The survey portrays the situation 5 weeks after the first case of secondary transmission in Italy.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Results:</jats:title> <jats:p>In total, 54 surgical Units in 36 Hospitals completed the survey (95%). After COVID-19 emergency, 70% of Units had reduction of hospital beds (median −50%) and 76% of surgical activity (median −50%). The number of surgical procedures decreased: 3.8 (interquartile range 2.7–5.4) per week before the emergency versus 2.6 (22–4.4) after (<jats:italic toggle="yes">P</jats:italic> = 0.036). In Lombardy, the most involved district, the number decreased from 3.9 to 2 procedures per week. The time interval between multidisciplinary discussion and surgery more than doubled: 7 (6–10) versus 3 (3–4) weeks (<jats:italic toggle="yes">P</jats:italic> < 0.001). Two-third (n = 34) of departments had repeated multidisciplinary discussion of patients. The commonest criteria to prioritize surgery were tumor biology (80%), time interval from neoadjuvant therapy (61%), risk of becoming unresectable (57%), and tumor-related symptoms (52%). Oncological hub-and-spoke program was planned in 29 departments, but was active only in 10 (19%).</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Conclusions:</jats:title> <jats:p>This survey showed how surgical oncology suffered remarkable reduction of the activity resulting in doubled waiting-list. The oncological hub-and-spoke program did not work adequately. The reassessment of healthcare systems to better protect the oncological path seems a priority.</jats:p> </jats:sec>