7 Medical institutes with Oxford University to conduct Global Study on COVID Impact on Pediatric Cancer

This is the first multicentric study of its kind and is being undertaken by the Global Health Research Group on Children's Non-Communicable Diseases (Global Children's NCDs). The aim of the project is to determine variation in paediatric cancer management during the Covid pandemic and the impact on childhood cancer outcomes in India as well as globally. The secondary aims are to determine short and medium-term outcome of paediatric cancer patients during the Covid pandemic and build global research capacity to empower individuals to conduct further research into children's non communicable diseases globally. Patients will be recruited consecutively into the study, with a 12 -month follow-up period.

Recruitment recently started in the PGIMER to understand if there was any impact of Covid on such children from March 2020 till December this year. The study will continue till the middle of next year.

"We had seen that non-Covid treatments were neglected during the pandemic. Children with cancer is a small and vulnerable group which has been affected quite a bit. So we thought to participate in this international trial, where we would understand how low and middle income countries have been affected," Dr Nitin James Peter, one of the investigators from the department of paediatric surgery, PGI told TOI

He further added, "We would see if they missed consultation, surgery or treatment during this period. Unlike other cancers, paediatric cancers are treated for curative intent as we have to look at the next 60 years and above for future impact."