Stöss, Christian (56823517700)Christian (56823517700)StössSteffani, Marcella (57204695039)Marcella (57204695039)SteffaniPergolini, Ilaria (56462901200)Ilaria (56462901200)PergoliniHartmann, Daniel (57197985481)Daniel (57197985481)HartmannRadenkovic, Dejan (6603592685)Dejan (6603592685)RadenkovicNovotny, Alexander (55616259800)Alexander (55616259800)NovotnyFriess, Helmut (36049095700)Helmut (36049095700)FriessMüller, Michael W. (56431396900)Michael W. (56431396900)Müller2025-06-122025-06-122021https://doi.org/10.1159/000515186https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85107618150&doi=10.1159%2f000515186&partnerID=40&md5=fd6f251f2c52bf21882059606e99740dhttps://remedy.med.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/4150Background: The first COVID-19 pandemic wave hit most of the health-care systems worldwide. The present survey aimed to provide a European overview on the COVID-19 impact on surgical oncology. Methods: This anonymous online survey was accessible from April 24 to May 11, 2020, for surgeons (n = 298) who were contacted by the surgical society European Digestive Surgery. The survey was completed by 88 surgeons (29.2%) from 69 different departments. The responses per department were evaluated. Results: Of the departments, 88.4% (n = 61/69) reported a lower volume of patients in the outpatient clinic; 69.1% (n = 47/68) and 75.0% (n = 51/68) reported a reduction in hospital bed and the operating room capacity, respectively. As a result, the participants reported an average reduction of 29.3% for all types of oncological resections surveyed in this questionnaire. The strongest reduction was observed for oncological resections of hepato-pancreatico-biliary (HPB) cancers. Of the interviewed surgeons, 68.7% (n = 46/67) agreed that survival outcomes will be negatively impacted by the pandemic. Conclusion: The first COVID-19 pandemic wave had a significant impact on surgical oncology in Europe. The surveyed surgeons expect an increase in the number of unresectable cancers as well as poorer survival outcomes due to cancellations of follow-ups and postponements of surgeries. © 2021 S. Karger AG, Basel. Copyright: All rights reserved.COVID-19 pandemicEuropean surgerySurgical careSurgical oncology