OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed substantial disruptions in many aspects of daily life. These impacts could be particularly worse for certain at-risk populations such as cancer patients. In this study, we assessed the humanistic burden and prevalence of mental conditions among cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic in Asian countries.

METHODS: This study utilized the Internet-based National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS) conducted in Japan and China. Specifically, we included respondents from the Japan NHWS in 2019 (n=30,006), 2020 (n=30,092), 2021 (n=30,015), and the China NHWS in 2017 (n=19,994) and 2020 (n=20,051). Cancer patients were identified based on self-reported physician diagnosis, including any type of solid tumors and hematologic cancers. For both cancer patients and the general population, bivariate analyses were used to compare demographic characteristics, Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL), work productivity and activity impairment (WPAI), and prevalence of mental conditions before (2017, 2019), during (2020), and after (2021) COVID-19 outbreak.

RESULTS: We observed statistically significant improvements in some aspects of HRQoL and mental conditions among cancer patients during the COVID-19 period in both countries. In Japan, there were significant decreases in depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9]≥10) and depression diagnoses (4.6% in 2019 vs 4.5% in 2020 vs. 2.7% in 2021, p<0.01). In addition, we found increases in some HRQoL measures and decreases in WPAI among cancer patients. In China, we also observed a significant decrease in depression diagnoses (18.9% in 2017 vs. 14.0% in 2020, p<0.05) among cancer patients. There were statistically significant albeit marginal improvements in some HRQoL measures; however, there was an increase in absenteeism.

CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to our expectations, this study indicated improvements in HRQoL and depression under the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, the effect on WPAI was different between Japan and China, likely owing to differences in COVID-related policies between the two countries.