{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T01:36:34Z","timestamp":1760060194764,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,12]],"date-time":"2025-08-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1754956800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Current Oncology"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: While changes in clinical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan have been widely studied, data specific to bone and soft tissue tumor care remain limited. Methods: A nationwide web-based survey was conducted among hospitals specializing in musculoskeletal tumors. It assessed the occurrence of COVID-19-related events (patient infections, outbreak clusters, and staff infections), delays in referral and diagnosis, postponement or cancellation of specific treatments, and changes in institutional management strategies. Results: Seventy-eight hospitals (91.7% of all specialized centers) responded. Patient infections, outbreak clusters, and staff infections were reported by 28.2%, 48.7%, and 53.8% of hospitals, respectively. While radiological exams and biopsies were largely maintained, patient referrals decreased significantly. Surgical treatment was more affected than chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Strategy changes included surgery delays or cancellations (48.7%) and prolonged follow-up intervals (20.5%). Among COVID-19-related factors, only direct patient infections were significantly associated with institutional changes in treatment policy. Conclusions: The pandemic substantially disrupted outpatient services and surgical care in musculoskeletal oncology. Patient infection was the main driver of treatment strategy modifications.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/curroncol32080453","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,12]],"date-time":"2025-08-12T16:30:36Z","timestamp":1755016236000},"page":"453","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["How Musculoskeletal Tumor Management Changed During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Data from a Nationwide Questionnaire Survey of Hospitals Specializing in Musculoskeletal Tumors in Japan"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"32","author":[{"given":"Takeshi","family":"Morii","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Kyorin University, 6-20-2 Shinkawa, Mitaka-shi 181-8611, Tokyo, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2024-514X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Shintaro","family":"Iwata","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Musculoskeletal Oncology and Rehabilitation Medicine, National Cancer Center Hospital, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku 104-0045, Tokyo, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kensaku","family":"Yamaga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, 36-1 Nishi-cho, Yonago 683-8504, Tottori, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0351-865X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Masanori","family":"Okamoto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto 390-8621, Nagano, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kosei","family":"Ando","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Tsukinowa-cho, Otsu 520-2192, Shiga, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Takaaki","family":"Tanaka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Medicine, Unit of Surgery, Division of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, 23-3 Shimoaizuki, Matsuoka 910-1193, Fukui, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jun","family":"Nishida","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Tokyo Medical University, 6-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku 160-0023, Tokyo, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"COVIDSurg Collaborative (2021). 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