The cancer screening rate declined 39% during the COVID pandemic, according to a study published January 2 in Nature Cancer.
A team led by Richa Shaw, PhD, of the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France, conducted a literature review to investigate the global scale and impact of COVID pandemic-related delays and disruptions on cancer services, including diagnosis, diagnostic procedures, screening, treatment, and supportive and palliative care. The review included 245 articles from 46 countries.
The group found the following regarding the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic:
- Cancer screening participation decreased by 39%.
- Diagnoses decreased by 23%.
- Diagnostic procedures decreased by 24%.
- Disease treatment decreased by 28% — ranging from a 15% decline for radiotherapy to a 35% decline for systemic treatment during the pandemic compared with the prepandemic period.
- Medium-human development index (HDI) category countries experienced greater reductions than high- and very-high-HDI countries. (The HDI is a summary measure of average achievement in key facets of human development, including a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and having a decent standard of living.)
“Missing data from low-HDI countries emphasize the need for increased investments in cancer surveillance and research in these settings,” the group concluded.
The full report can be found here.