A pair of studies today estimated the COVID-19 pandemic's potential effects on cancer deaths, with one predicting rising US cancer deaths over the next decade owing to screening deficits, and the other suggesting that cancer surgery delays in Ontario could lead to poorer survival rates.To accommodate surges of critically ill COVID-19 patients, many healthcare facilities around the world canceled or delayed appointments for other indications, including cancer.
Before COVID-19 vaccines were available, patients with nonemergent conditions also were advised to stay home rather than risk infection in crowded hospitals or clinics.The unintended consequences of these public health measures are still being measured.Median 18% drop in colorectal cancer screeningIn the first study, published in Cancer, a team led by Northwestern University researchers conducted a national quality-improvement (QI) study on the return to cancer screening among 748 accredited US cancer programs from April through June 2021.
They used prepandemic and pandemic monthly screening test volumes (MTVs) to identified screening gaps.Most facilities reported gaps in monthly screenings for colorectal cancer (104 of 129 [80.6%]), cervical cancer (20/29 [69.0%]), breast cancer (241/436 [55.3%]), and lung cancer (98/220 [44.6%]).The median relative changes in MTVs were -17.7% for colorectal cancer, -6.8% for cervical cancer, -1.6% for breast cancer, and 1.2% for lung cancer.
No geographic differences were seen.These findings prompted participating cancer programs to start 814 QI projects to break down barriers to cancer screening, including screening resources.