[Skip to Content]

Claim CME

Oncology

Identification of Deaths Caused by Cancer and COVID-19 in the US During March to December 2020

Educational Objective
To identify the key insights or developments described in this article

1 Credit CME

JAMA Oncology

Published Online: September 29, 2022

Research Letter

Article Information and Disclosures

Xuesong Han, PhD¹;

Xin Hu, MSPH²;

Jingxuan Zhao, MPH¹;

Ahmedin Jemal, DVM, PhD¹;

K. Robin Yabroff, PhD¹

Author Affiliations

¹Surveillance & Health Equity Science, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia
²Department of Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia

Read article on JAMA Network

Read Article Claim CME

Persons with cancer have high risks of COVID-19 infection and death, especially in 2020, when vaccines were not available.¹ Cancer care was disrupted, particularly among patients with socioeconomic disadvantages.²^,3 Although research using data from electronic health records and medical claims evaluated the adverse effects of the pandemic in cancer care and outcomes, there are limited data on the excess death burden associated with the combination of COVID-19 and cancer during the first year of the pandemic. Using 2020 mortality data in the US, this cross-sectional study quantified deaths caused by both cancer and COVID-19 and identified the most vulnerable populations.

Claim CME

Sign in to take quiz and track your certificates

Buy This Activity

Article Information

Accepted for Publication: July 27, 2022.

Published Online: September 29, 2022. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2022.4315

Corresponding Author: Xuesong Han, PhD, American Cancer Society, 3380 Chastain Meadows Pkwy NW, Ste 200, Kennesaw, GA 30144 (xuesong.han@cancer.org).

Author Contributions: Dr Han had full access to all the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.

Concept and design: Han, Zhao, Yabroff.

Acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data: Han, Hu, Jemal.

Drafting of the manuscript: Han.

Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content: All authors.

Statistical analysis: Han.

Administrative, technical, or material support: Han, Hu.

Supervision: Han.

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Han reported receiving grants from AstraZeneca outside the submitted work. Dr Hu reported receiving grants from PhRMA Foundation Predoctoral fellowship outside the submitted work. Ms Zhao reported receiving grants from AstraZeneca outside the submitted work. Dr Yabroff reported serving on the Flatiron Health Equity Advisory Board. All honoraria are donated to Dr Yabroff’s employer, the American Cancer Society. No other disclosures were reported.

Additional Information: Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Database provided through CDC WONDER at https://wonder.cdc.gov/mcd-icd10.html.

Reference

Han S , Zhuang Q , Chiang J , et al. Impact of cancer diagnoses on the outcomes of patients with COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open. 2022;12(2):e044661. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044661 PubMed Google Scholar Crossref

COVIDSurg Collaborative. Effect of COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns on planned cancer surgery for 15 tumour types in 61 countries: an international, prospective, cohort study. Lancet Oncol. 2021;22(11):1507-1517. doi:10.1016/S1470-2045(21)00493-9 PubMed Google Scholar Crossref

Yabroff KR , Wu XC , Negoita S , et al. Association of the COVID-19 pandemic with patterns of statewide cancer services. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2022;114(6):907-909. doi:10.1093/jnci/djab122 PubMed Google Scholar Crossref

Dessie ZG , Zewotir T . Mortality-related risk factors of COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 42 studies and 423,117 patients. BMC Infect Dis. 2021;21(1):855. doi:10.1186/s12879-021-06536-3 PubMed Google Scholar Crossref

Chavez-MacGregor M , Lei X , Zhao H , Scheet P , Giordano SH . Evaluation of COVID-19 mortality and adverse outcomes in US patients with or without cancer. JAMA Oncol. 2022;8(1):69-78. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2021.5148 PubMed Google Scholar Crossref

Sharafeldin N , Bates B , Song Q , et al. Outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with cancer: report from the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C). J Clin Oncol. 2021;39(20):2232-2246. doi:10.1200/JCO.21.01074 PubMed Google Scholar Crossref

AMA CME Accreditation Information

Credit Designation Statement: The American Medical Association designates this Journal-based CME activity activity for a maximum of 1.00  AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to:

1.00 Medical Knowledge MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine's (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program;;
1.00 Self-Assessment points in the American Board of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery’s (ABOHNS) Continuing Certification program;
1.00 MOC points in the American Board of Pediatrics’ (ABP) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program;
1.00 Lifelong Learning points in the American Board of Pathology’s (ABPath) Continuing Certification program; and
1.00 CME points in the American Board of Surgery’s (ABS) Continuing Certification program

It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting MOC credit.