Table 1.
Description of the study characteristic, participant details, objective, and results.
| Author/Year/Country | Duration of Data Collection | DesignQuant/Qual | Sample Size (n) | Age (Years) | Females (%) | Cancer Diagnosis | Aim | Outcomes and Outcomes Measures | Results ** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baffert 2021 [20] France | May 2020 to the beginning of June 2020 | Quant Cross-sectional survey |
n = 189 | Age range—61–70 | 60% | Lung, breast, and colorectal cancer | To evaluate anxiety, HRQOL during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to assess the non-psychological consequences on quality of life and satisfaction with care. | Anxiety-GAD-7 * QoL-SF-12 * |
11.1% showed anxiety. Mental health deteriorated (p < 0.0001). |
| Bartels 2021 [21] Netherlands | Within two years before the start and during the COVID-19 lockdown | Quant Cross-sectional online survey |
n = 169 | Median age—68 (range 38–92) | 38% | Bone metastases | To evaluate the effect of societal COVID-19 measures on changes in quality of life and emotional functioning of patients with metastatic bone disease | QoL-BPI, EORTC-C15-PAL, EORTC-BM22, and EQ5D-3L * |
Decrease in general QoL (72.4 to 68.7, p = 0.007); increase in feeling isolated (18% before and 67% during lockdown) |
| Jeppesen 2021 [22] Denmark | 15 May 2020 to 29 May 2020 | Quant Cross-sectional cohort survey |
n = 4571 | Mean age—66 | 60% | Breast cancer and incurable cancer | To investigate QoL for patients with cancer, either receiving active treatment or in a follow up program during the COVID-19 pandemic with focus on emotional functioning | HRQOL—EORTC QLQ-C30 * | No clinically significant differences in global QoL and emotional function (EF) scores |
| Koinig 2021 [23] Austria | 20 April 2020 18 June 2020 | Quant Cross-sectional online survey |
n = 240 | Mean age—67 | 46% | Solid tumor and hematological malignancy | To study cancer patients’ perception of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on their everyday life during the lockdown | HRQOL—EORTC QLQ-C30 * | No clinically significant differences in physical, role, emotional, or social functioning, or of global QOL |
| Büssing 2021 [24] Germany | May to June 2020, (sample 1) and September to November 2020 (sample 2) | Quant Cross-sectional online survey |
n = 292 (sample 1) n = 221 (sample 2) | Mean age—66.7 ± 10.8 | 20.1% | Prostate cancer, larynx tumours, and nasal/paranasal tumours | To analyze the change in patients’ perceptions, fear, worries, and emotional adaptation between waves 1 and 2 of the pandemic | Perceived changes- 12-item short version of the perceptions of change scale Well-being-WHO-5 * Perceived daily life affections-NAS * Meaning in life-MLQ * Indicators of spirituality-SpREUK questionnaire Awe and gratitude-GrAw-7 * |
Perception of change and indicators of spirituality lower in wave 2 (p = 0.060). |
| Büssing 2020 [25] Germany | 9 June to 21 June | Quant Cross-sectional online survey |
n = 288 | Mean age—66.7 ± 10.8 (range 29–92) | 28% | 42% prostate cancer 17% larynx tumours |
To analyse whether patients with malignant tumours during the COVID-19 pandemic perceived changes of their attitudes and behaviours related to their relationships, awareness of nature and quietness, interest in spiritual issues, or feelings of worries and isolation. | Perception of Changes-12-item version of the Perceptions of Change Scale Spiritual-Religious Self-Categorization-SpREUK questionnaire Awe and Gratitude-GrAw-7 * Meaning in Life-MLQ * Well-Being Index-WHO-5 * Perception of Burden-VAS * COVID-19 Pandemic Outcomes-two single items scales Health Behaviours-Alcohol consumption |
Patient wellbeing, perceived burden and perception of change was not greatly impacted by COVID-19 (p < 0.0001). |
| Catania 2020 [26] Italy | 30 April 2020, to 29 May 2020 | Qual Structured telephone interview |
n = 156 | Median age—68 (range 23–91) | 44.2% | Lung cancer | To assess the fears associated with SARS-CoV-2 pandemic impact on lung cancer patients | Nine question qualitative survey assessing: fear of falling ill with COVID-19 compared to the fear of their disease; changes in the lives; and change in care | Quarantine period worsened the QoL of some patients (40%). |
| Hyland 2020 [27] USA | 20 March to 8 May 2020 | Qual Semi-structured telephone interview |
n = 15 | Mean age—65 | 60% | Lung cancer | To characterize the behavioral and psychosocial responses of people with advanced lung cancer to the COVID-19 pandemic | Interview assessing relationship of hope, goals, impact, goals, change in behavior, and psychological well-being in people with advanced stage lung cancer | Emergent themes: cancer as the primary health threat, changes in oncology practice and access to cancer care, awareness of mortality, behavioral and psychosocial responses to COVID-19, sense of loss, and positive reinterpretation/greater appreciation for life |
| Haase 2021 [28] Canada | June and July 2020 | Qual Semi-structured telephone interviews |
n = 30 | Mean age—72.1 years (range 63–83) | 57% | Breast and colorectal cancer | To report reflections on the pandemic shared by older adult cancer survivors and to understand their suggestions for suitable resources and care delivery methods | Six questions assessing concerns, coping, and changes; suggestions for future coping strategies and delivery of care | Accepted COVID restrictions, coping through positive reinterpretation |
| Galica 2021 [29] Canada | NR | Qual + Quant Cross-sectional survey Semi-structured telephone interviews |
n = 30 | Mean age—72.1 (range 63–83) | 57% | Breast and colorectal cancer | To understand coping among older cancer survivors | Coping (quantitative data)-Brief-COPE questionnaire. (qualitative data) Telephone interview conducted to ascertain coping before and during the pandemic along with individual coping strategies |
Emergent themes: (1) drawing on lived experiences, (2) redeploying coping strategies, and (3) complications of cancer survivorship in a pandemic. |
* NR—not reported; GAD-7—generalized anxiety disorder screener; QoL—quality of life; HRQOL—health-related quality of life; SF-12—12-item short-form health survey; BPI—brief pain inventory; EORTC-C15-PAL and EORTC-BM22—European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaires; EQ5D-3L—Euro-QoL five-dimensional instrument of health-related quality of life; EORTC QLQ-C30—European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life-Questionnaire-Core-30; WHO-5—WHO-Five Well-being Index; NAS—numeric analogue scales; MLQ–10-item meaning in life questionnaire; GrAw-7—7-item awe/gratitude scale; VAS—visual analogue scales. ** p-value added where available.