The COVID-19 pandemic had an adverse impact on multiple public health fronts.
Proper cancer prevention, control, care, and post-cancer survivorship rely on the critical importance of screening, early diagnosis, treatment and monitoring for recurrence of the disease, as well as the maintenance of preventative programs. These interventions were affected by interruptions and delays caused by the pandemic.
Cancer patients are also more vulnerable to the clinical impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection and thus have a higher risk of mortality from the joint effects of the infection and the underlying neoplastic disease.
This Special Issue brings together empirical and model-based research to form the knowledge base for public health action to counter the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer outcomes.
To mark the launch of this Special Issue, eLife Deputy Editor Diane Harper and Senior Editor Eduardo Franco explore the similarities between the COVID-19 pandemic and the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, and talk about the articles in this collection in their editorial.
Interested in hearing from the authors in this collection? Join us at our symposium on Wednesday, April 17 at 3pm BST | 10am EDT| 2pm UTC.
Book your place
Note: Due to the timing of the call for papers, articles included in this Special Issue were accepted for publication before the introduction of our new publishing model.
Collection
- Epidemiology and Global Health
- Microbiology and Infectious Disease
eLife has published a special issue containing articles that examine how cancer prevention, control, care and survivorship were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Cancer Biology
- Epidemiology and Global Health
A twofold increased risk of adverse outcomes (mortality, ICU admission, and severity of COVID-19) has been demonstrated in unvaccinated COVID-19 patients with cancer compared to COVID-19 patients without cancer.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
The COVID-19 pandemic reduced participation in a Spanish population-based breast cancer screening program, especially among regular participants, while other outcomes like recall and cancer detection were not negatively affected by the interruption of screening.
- Computational and Systems Biology
Despite the overall impact of COVID-19-related cervical cancer screening disruptions on cervical cancer outcomes being small, disruptions disproportionately affect underscreened women, underpinning the importance of reaching such women as a critical area of focus, regardless of temporary disruptions.
- Medicine
- Cancer Biology
Remdesivir is a promising treatment modality to reduce 30 day all-cause mortality.
- Cancer Biology
- Medicine
Procalcitonin could be useful in enhancing antimicrobial stewardship in cancer patients with COVID-19.
- Cancer Biology
- Medicine
Long COVID occurred in the majority of cancer patients diagnosed with acute COVID-19 with a preponderance of symptoms (such as fatigue, sleep disturbances, and gastrointestinal symptoms) over a long time period.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
- Medicine
Investigating standard lag times prior to the pandemic and identifying key methodological considerations in lag time research can guide future investigations into the impact of time to care for patients with cancer.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
The participation in cervical cancer screening in Denmark was reduced at the start of the pandemic although with longer follow-up time most women resumed screening.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
Denmark continued cancer screening during the pandemic, but following the first lockdown a temporary drop was seen in breast and cervical screening activity.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
The COVID-19 pandemic caused an important delay in screening activities at the national level and increased the pre-existing individual and geographical inequalities in access.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
The participation in the FIT-based colorectal cancer screening programme and subsequent compliance to colonoscopy after a positive FIT test was only slightly affected during the COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
Modelled estimates for changes in cancer incidence, staging, and demand on health services are presented for a range of potential COVID-related disruptions to national population screening programmes for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer, indicating markedly different impacts for each programme.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
A diverse and substantial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer care is observed, including delays in treatment, screening, and diagnosis, as well as on the psychosocial welling of patients with cancer.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
Unequal recovery in colorectal cancer screening following the COVID-19 pandemic can widen disparities in colorectal cancer outcomes.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
The Policy Committee of the International Papillomavirus Society describes how lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic could propel a new approach to the elimination of cervical cancer that is more likely to be successful.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
Well-coordinated, decisive, and collective actions remain critical to make screening programmes more equitable and resilient in the face of natural and geo-political calamities.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
Mailed at-home HPV self-sampling kits present an opportunity to reduce important barriers to cervical cancer screening among women in a safety net healthcare system.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
- Medicine
Decline in cervical cancer screening and challenges faced by healthcare professionals and patients when the pandemic was declared emphasize the importance of implementing human papillomavirus (HPV) primary screening, HPV self-sampling, and telemedicine to continue cervical cancer screening and care.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
Shifting from girls-only to gender-neutral HPV vaccination strategy improves the resilience of cervical cancer prevention and enhances progress towards cervical cancer elimination.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
During the COVID-19 pandemic, cancer-related screening and healthcare practices varied (by age, race/ethnicity, education, and comorbidities), and considering these differences in high-risk individuals' monitoring is important as undiagnosed cases or poor prognosis may increase due to delayed screening/treatment.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
Only a minor reduction in mammography screening participation was observed during the COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
COVID-19 negatively affected pancreatic cancer care by reducing surgical resections and pre-diagnostic testing with BMI and HbA1c, and it also negatively affected the quality of data for research.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
Many people canceled cancer screening and cancer care appointments during the pandemic, but cancer prevention and control practitioners must proactively facilitate their return to care to avoid widening cancer health disparities.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
A review of the current empirical literature underscores the need for longitudinal research examining potential spillover effects between hesitancy, intention, or uptake for the COVID vaccine and HPV and HBV vaccines, especially to account for social media misinformation.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
- Medicine
In late 2021 and early 2022, many clinicians in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) reported reduced cervical cancer screening and reported that pandemic-related staffing shortages impacted screening and follow-up.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
Reductions in cervical cancer screening and colposcopy among nearly half of surveyed clinicians more than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic raise concerns that inadequate screening and follow-up will lead to future increases in preventable cancers.
- Medicine
The largest federally qualified health center in Massachusetts was able to improve cervical cancer screening rates during the COVID-19 pandemic by creating clinical sessions devoted only to screenings.
- Epidemiology and Global Health
A reduction in breast screening participation volume during COVID-19 that differed by region and healthcare setting was observed in a rapid review of 26 studies globally, suggesting monitoring of screening access by disadvantaged groups to reduce disparities.
