Article shows how measures to combat the pandemic influence the tracking and treatment of these diseases
It is urgent to develop strategies that reduce the long-term effects of Covid-19 on mortality rates from breast and cervical cancer. The warning comes from a study by Unicamp and the Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), published last Monday (13) in JCO Global Oncology Journal. He shows how measures to combat the pandemic impact the tracking and treatment of these diseases, resulting in a significant reduction in the provision of care to patients.
Access the full article here.
titled Impact of COVID-19 in Cervical and Breast Cancer Screening and Systemic Treatment in São Paulo, Brazil: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis, the research analyzed the number of screening exams, mammography and cervical cytology (Pap smear), initial cervical cancer treatment procedures and initiation of chemotherapy treatments for breast and cervical cancer in the State of São Paulo between January 2017 and November 2021. The platforms used were DATASUS, the Ambulatory Information System (SIA) and the Hospital Information System (SIH) of the Ministry of Health.
In addition to estimating that more than 1,8 million Pap smear, mammography and conization exams and procedures were delayed or completely missed, the study showed how the dysfunction of the healthcare system caused by SARS-CoV-2 has hampered the systemic treatment of patients. cancer patients.
According to the researchers responsible for the study, Mateus Duarte (UFU), José Carvalheira and Juliana Argenton (Unicamp), the beginning of the pandemic is directly correlated to the acute decrease in screening exams (Pap smears and mammography) and conization procedures.
“There was a 25% reduction in the rate of initiation of postoperative systemic treatment for early-stage breast cancer (I and II), in addition to an increase in the number of patients who started chemotherapy as a palliative measure for the treatment of cancer. of advanced cervix. We estimate an excess of 156 cases of cervical cancer in São Paulo that are already at an advanced stage, when the chance of a cure is drastically reduced.”
Although Pap smears and mammograms returned to levels prior to the isolation measures, the same did not happen with conizations. Among the factors that explain the slow return to pre-pandemic rates are difficulties with tracking systems and the interruption of health services considered non-essential.
“In Brazil, the search for tracking services happens spontaneously, while in more developed countries there are reminder and tracking systems. In Australia and New Zealand, simultaneous efforts were made to control Covid-19 and mitigate its effects on cancer treatment, which resulted in a rapid recovery rate from screening,” they state.
Original article published on the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCM) website.
