Impact of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on breast cancer screening and detection of high-risk mammographic findings

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has disrupted cancer screening worldwide. This study aims to analyze the changes in the rates of screening mammograms and BIRADS 4 or 5 mammograms during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in the opportunistic scenario. METHODS: We integrated three different public databases from the state of São Paulo, Brazil, to obtain the rate of screening mammograms per 1,000, and the rate of BIRADS 4 or 5 mammograms per 100,000 women aged from 50 to 69 years in the years from January 2017 to December 2020. RESULTS: The mean monthly screening mammograms decreased from 14.8/1,000 in 2019 to 9.25/1,000 in 2020, with the lowest rates being recorded in May 2020 (3.1/1,000). The mean monthly high-risk mammograms decreased from 12.8/100,000 in 2019 to 9.1/100,000 in 2020, with the lowest rates being recorded in April 2020 (4.3/100,000). CONCLUSIONS: Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic significantly decreased mammography screening in an opportunistic scenario, a warning sign for decreasing diagnosis of breast cancer in early stages, and increasing advanced stage diagnosis and mortality in the future.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cancer Staging: An Analysis of Patients With Breast Cancer From a Community Practice in Brazil

“…Moterani Júnior et al studied three Brazilian public databases regarding the performance of mammography between the beginning of 2017 and end of 2020. There was a drop in the monthly average of mammograms from 14.9/1,000 in 2019 to 9.25/1,000 in 2020, 11 raising the possibility of later diagnoses in subsequent years of screening, as demonstrated in this study. A second study carried out at the public oncology service in the state of São Paulo compared BC diagnoses made in 2019 with those made in 2020.…”

Delayed diagnosis and increased mortality risk: Assessing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on breast cancer recurrence

“…The reduced access to these diagnostic procedures likely hindered the early detection of breast cancer recurrence, resulting in delayed diagnosis and potentially more advanced disease at the time of detection. 16 , 17 …”