IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON RADIOTHERAPY PATIENTS BY AGE AND RESIDENCE

According to the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (Z = - 5.2, p = 0.001), the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic had a statistically significant impact on the decrease in the weekly number of fractions. A parametric (Paired Samples t-test) or non-parametric (Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test) statistical analysis was used, Table 2, depending on the results. According to the experience of RT departments in Brazil [14], 10 % fewer patients and 26 % fewer RT sessions were treated. Depending on the Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test results for the periods mentioned above, a parametric paired samples t-test or a non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test was carried out for patients grouped by their residence (further and closer than 200 km) and age (younger and older than 70 years).