Spatiotemporal Associations Between the COVID-19 Pandemic and Cancer Diagnoses in Bavaria

NCT07008560 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 2025-1014
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 438,000
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a significant strain on healthcare systems worldwide and has also impacted the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. In Germany, there was a notable decline in cancer diagnoses during the pandemic, partly due to delays in early detection and limited access to medical treatments. This study examines how the number of cancer cases in Bavaria changed before and during the pandemic, taking various factors into account, such as the socioeconomic status of different regions, the age of affected individuals, and the severity of the pandemic in each region. We aim to determine whether certain regions or specific types of tumors experienced greater declines in diagnoses, particularly for cancers with regular screening programs. The study seeks to provide a better understanding of how different social and geographical conditions influenced cancer diagnoses during the pandemic. These insights could help improve future preparedness for health crises like the pandemic and ensure that cancer treatment continues to function effectively even in times of crisis.

Conditions

Cancer

Keywords

Cancer registration; Registry data; Population-based analysis; Incidence; COVID-19; Pandemics; Cancer

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Newly diagnosed cancer cases

  Number of incident cancer cases per district and month in Bavaria, Germany

  2018 to 2023

Study Arms (1)

Bavarian Cancer Registry Cohort (2018-2023)

The study cohort consists of all incident cancer cases diagnosed in individuals aged 18 years and older in Bavaria, Germany, between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2023. Eligible cases were identified through the Bavarian Cancer Registry and include carcinoma in situ.

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study includes all individuals aged 18 years and older with an incident diagnosis of cancer, including carcinoma in situ, recorded in the Bavarian Cancer Registry between 2018 and 2023.

You may qualify if:

• All incident cancer cases among individuals aged 18 years and older, including carcinoma in situ, diagnosed between 2018 and 2023 within Bavaria and recorded in the Bavarian Cancer Registry.

You may not qualify if:

• Death Certificate Only (DCO) cases. as they lack essential clinical information and the recorded date of diagnosis is in most cases the date of death, leading to temporal distortions in incidence estimates.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Bavarian Cancer Registry: lead
• Ludwig-Maximilians - University of Munich: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Bavarian Cancer Registry, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority

Munich, Bavaria, 80538, Germany

Location

Related Links

• Bavarian Cancer Registry

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Neoplasms; COVID-19

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Pneumonia, Viral; Pneumonia; Respiratory Tract Infections; Infections; Virus Diseases; Coronavirus Infections; Coronaviridae Infections; Nidovirales Infections; RNA Virus Infections; Lung Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases

Study Officials

• Jacqueline Müller-Nordhorn, Prof. Dr.

  Bavarian Cancer Registry, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: ECOLOGIC OR COMMUNITY
• Time Perspective: RETROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER GOV
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 21, 2025
• First Posted: June 6, 2025
• Study Start: September 3, 2025
• Primary Completion: December 31, 2025
• Study Completion: February 28, 2026
• Last Updated: January 6, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

DE (1)