Cancer screening decreased worldwide during COVID-19

Editor's Note

This systematic review and meta-analysis from Stony Brook Cancer Center, Stony Brook University, New York City, and the University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy, finds that COVID-19 pandemic measures were associated with widely reduced cancer screening services.

Between January and October 2020, there was an overall decrease of:

• -46.7% for breast cancer screening
• -44.9% for colorectal cancer screening
• -51.8% for cervical cancer screening.

In a geographic analysis, the decrease in breast and cervical cancer screening was less pronounced in the US than other countries, but there was no significant difference in colorectal cancer screening.

The delays in cancer screening were possibly associated with delayed cancer diagnosis and increased cancer mortality, the researchers concluded. The main factors that may have caused widespread decrease in cancer screenings were stay-at-home orders, people’s fear of COVID-19, and the reorganization of hospital departments.