Has COVID-19 Affected Cancer Screening Programs? A Systematic Review

Alkatout, İbrahim; Biebl, Matthias; Momenimovahed, Zohre; Giovannucci, Edward; Hadavandsiri, Fatemeh; Salehiniya, Hamid; Allahqoli, Leila

doi:10.3389/fonc.2021.675038

Cited by 121 publications

(131 citation statements)

References 37 publications

(132 reference statements)

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“…16,31,32 When patients with as of yet undiagnosed colorectal cancer come to medical attention, they may present at more advanced stage, with associated negative implications for prognosis, morbidity, and mortality. 33 In the setting of abnormal fecal immunochemical testing (FIT), performance of colonoscopy more than 9 months after the abnormal FIT result is associated with adverse colorectal cancer outcomes, including higher incidence of colorectal cancer and advanced stage colorectal cancer. 29 Another question is whether and how our systems can continue to prioritize diagnostic colonoscopy for evaluation of symptoms suggestive of a higher likelihood of colorectal cancer, 34 while also resuming screening and surveillance exams for colorectal cancer prevention.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…29 Another question is whether and how our systems can continue to prioritize diagnostic colonoscopy for evaluation of symptoms suggestive of a higher likelihood of colorectal cancer, 34 while also resuming screening and surveillance exams for colorectal cancer prevention. 35,36 FIT will likely have an important role in expanding colorectal cancer screening to account for pandemic-related lags in performance of screening colonoscopy and could help risk-stratify those who would most benefit from colonoscopy, 30,33,36 A strength of this study is the inclusion of a large number of sites throughout the US. The change in volume of endoscopic procedures performed across these sites may be useful in models predicting delays in care and the impact on outcomes and resources needed in an eventual recovery phase.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Utilization of EGD and Colonoscopy in the United States: An Analysis of the GIQuIC Registry

Calderwood

Williams³

et al. 2021

Techniques and Innovations in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

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BACKGROUND AND AIMS:The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has limited the ability to perform endoscopy. The aim of this study was to quantify the impact of the pandemic on endoscopy volumes and indications in the United States. METHODS:We performed a retrospective analysis of data from the GI Quality Improvement Consortium (GIQuIC) registry. We compared volumes of colonoscopy and esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) during the pandemic (March-September 2020) to before the pandemic (January 2019-February 2020). The primary outcome was change in monthly volumes. Secondary outcomes included changes in the distribution of procedure indications and in procedure volume by region of United States, patient characteristics, trainee involvement, and practice setting, as well as colorectal cancer diagnoses.RESULTS: Among 451 sites with 3514 endoscopists, the average monthly volume of colonoscopies and EGDs dropped by 38.5% and 33.4%, respectively. There was regional variation, with the greatest and least decline in procedures in the Northeast and South, respectively. There was a modest shift in procedure indications from prevention to diagnostic, an initial increase in performance in the hospital setting, and a decrease in procedures with trainees. The decline in volume of colonoscopy and EGD during the first 7 months of the pandemic was equivalent to approximately 2.7 and 2.4 months of prepandemic productivity, respectively. Thirty percent fewer colorectal cancers were diagnosed compared to expected.CONCLUSIONS: These data on actual endoscopy utilization nationally during the pandemic can help in anticipating impact of delays in care on outcomes and planning for the recovery phase.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Utilization of EGD and Colonoscopy in the United States: An Analysis of the GIQuIC Registry

Calderwood

Williams³

et al. 2021

Techniques and Innovations in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…In particular, the decrease in the rate of prostatic biopsies (5% of the usual volume), cystoscopies (20% of the usual volume) and urological consultations (15% of the usual volume) performed during the COVID-19 pandemic could have led to an underdiagnosis of cases of asymptomatic and localized cancers [ 12 ]. Indeed, recent studies are highlighting the relevance of the decrease in screening procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic, which might lead to increased cancer mortality [ 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Urologic Oncology Surgery: Implications for Moving Forward

Guerrieri

Rovati

Dell’Oglio

et al. 2021

JCM

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The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the destruction of routine hospital services globally, leading to an increase in the backlog of elective surgery cases. The aim of the study was to retrospectively investigate the pandemic’s impact on the urologic oncology surgical activity of a high-volume center located in Milan, Italy. The number and type of procedures performed in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic was evaluated using 2019 data as control. Waiting times for each surgical procedure were compared, on a bimonthly basis, between the two different years. Overall, a 26.7% reduction in the number of urologic oncology surgeries between 2019 and 2020 was observed (2019: 720, 2020: 528). Both the main indication for surgery and the type of procedure performed significantly differed between 2019 and 2020 (all p < 0.0001), with a decrease in the number of radical prostatectomies and an increase in the number of radical cystectomies and radical nephrectomies/nephroureterectomies performed in 2020. Waiting time decreased by 20% between 2019 and 2020, with the most significant reduction seen after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (July-October 2020), in particular for partial nephrectomy and radical prostatectomy, possibly due to the underdiagnosis of cases. In conclusion, in accordance with recommendations by international urological societies on prioritization strategies for oncological procedures, a higher proportion of surgeries for high-risk tumors was performed in 2020 at our center at the expense of procedures for lower risk diseases; however, future implications for patients’ prognosis still need to be determined.

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“…This does not concern oncological patients, whose medical care has been guaranteed. However, cancer screening programs have clearly been interrupted by the onset of COVID-19 [ 1 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Melanoma Management during the COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency: A Literature Review and Single-Center Experience

Cariti

Merli

Avallone

et al. 2021

Cancers

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Background: The current COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the modus operandi of all fields of medicine, significantly impacting patients with oncological diseases and multiple comorbidities. Thus, in recent months, the establishment of melanoma management during the emergency has become a major area of interest. In addition to original articles, case reports and specific guidelines for the period have been developed. Purpose: This article aims to evaluate whether melanoma management has been changed by the outbreak of COVID-19, and if so, what the consequences are. We summarized the main issues concerning the screening of suspicious lesions, the diagnosis of primary melanoma, and the management of early-stage and advanced melanomas during the pandemic. Additionally, we report on the experience of our dermatological clinic in northern Italy. Methods: We performed a literature review evaluating articles on melanomas and COVID-19 published in the last two years on PubMed, as well as considering publications by major healthcare organizations. Concerning oncological practice in our center, we collected data on surgical and therapeutic procedures in patients with a melanoma performed during the first months of the pandemic. Conclusions: During the emergency period, the evaluation of suspicious skin lesions was ensured as much as possible. However, the reduced level of access to medical care led to a documented delay in the diagnosis of new melanomas. When detected, the management of early-stage and advanced melanomas was fully guaranteed, whereas the follow-up visits of disease-free patients have been postponed or replaced with a teleconsultation when possible.

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Has COVID-19 Affected Cancer Screening Programs? A Systematic Review

Cited by 121 publications

References 37 publications

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Utilization of EGD and Colonoscopy in the United States: An Analysis of the GIQuIC Registry

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Utilization of EGD and Colonoscopy in the United States: An Analysis of the GIQuIC Registry

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Urologic Oncology Surgery: Implications for Moving Forward

Melanoma Management during the COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency: A Literature Review and Single-Center Experience

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