Breast cancer and cervical cancer screenings dropped during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, a survey published June 3 in JAMA Network Open found.
Researchers analyzed data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020. A total of 479,248 women were included in the analysis of past-year screenings for breast cancer, 301,453 women for cervical cancer, and 854,210 men and women for colorectal cancer.
It is the first study based on population data to assess the effects of pandemic disruptions on cancer screening across the country, according to a June 3 news release from the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.
Key findings:
- Breast cancer screenings dropped 6 percent between 2018 and 2020.
- Cervical cancer screenings dropped 11 percent between 2018 and 2020.
- Colonoscopies fell by 16 percent between 2018 and 2020, but there was a 7 percent increase in stool testing.