Social Distancing and Economic Crisis During COVID-19 Pandemic Reduced Cancer Control in Latin America and Will Result in Increased Late-Stage Diagnoses and Expense
Since December 2019, the world has been mired in an infectious pandemic that has displaced other health priorities for 21st century populations. Concerned about this situation, Latin American experts on cancer decided to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on cancer control in the region. The analys...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
American Society of Clinical Oncology
2021-12-01
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| Series: | JCO Global Oncology |
| Online Access: | https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/GO.21.00016 |
| _version_ | 1830228805541691392 |
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| author | Tabaré Vázquez Rosas Eduardo Cazap Lucía Delgado Julia Ismael Suyapa Bejarano Carlos Castro Hugo Castro Bettina Müller Francisco Gutiérrez-Delgado Luiz Antonio Santini Carlos Vallejos Sologuren |
| author_facet | Tabaré Vázquez Rosas Eduardo Cazap Lucía Delgado Julia Ismael Suyapa Bejarano Carlos Castro Hugo Castro Bettina Müller Francisco Gutiérrez-Delgado Luiz Antonio Santini Carlos Vallejos Sologuren |
| author_sort | Tabaré Vázquez Rosas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Since December 2019, the world has been mired in an infectious pandemic that has displaced other health priorities for 21st century populations. Concerned about this situation, Latin American experts on cancer decided to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on cancer control in the region. The analysis was based on information obtained from public sources and scientific publications and included the characteristics of the health care and cancer control prior to the pandemic, the COVID-19 pandemic and measures implemented by the governments of the region, and the regional impact of the pandemic on cancer control together with the costs of cancer care and possible impact of the pandemic on cancer expense. We compared 2019 and 2020 data corresponding to the period March 16-June 30 and found a significant reduction in the number of first-time visits to oncology services (variable depending on the country between –28% and –38%) and a corresponding reduction in pathology (between –6% and –50%), cancer surgery (between –28% and –70%), and chemotherapy (between –2% and –54%). Furthermore, a significant reduction in cancer screening tests was found (PAP smear test studies: between –46% and –100%, mammography: between –32% and –100%, and fecal occult blood test: –73%). If this situation becomes a trend, the health and economic impact will be compounded in the postpandemic period, with an overload of demand on health services to ensure diagnostic tests and consequent treatments. On the basis of this information, a set of prevention and mitigation measures to be immediately implemented and also actions to progressively strengthen health systems are proposed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T10:20:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1ff7ed4a91fa48d4a761cc2e2403796f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2687-8941 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T10:20:50Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | American Society of Clinical Oncology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JCO Global Oncology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1ff7ed4a91fa48d4a761cc2e2403796f2022-12-21T21:11:08ZengAmerican Society of Clinical OncologyJCO Global Oncology2687-89412021-12-01769470310.1200/GO.21.00016Social Distancing and Economic Crisis During COVID-19 Pandemic Reduced Cancer Control in Latin America and Will Result in Increased Late-Stage Diagnoses and ExpenseTabaré Vázquez Rosas0Eduardo Cazap1Lucía Delgado2Julia Ismael3Suyapa Bejarano4Carlos Castro5Hugo Castro6Bettina Müller7Francisco Gutiérrez-Delgado8Luiz Antonio Santini9Carlos Vallejos Sologuren10Radiation Oncology, University of Uruguay, Montevideo, UruguayLatin-American and Caribbean Society of Medical Oncology—SLACOM, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaClinical Oncology, Universidad de la República, Former Director of the National Cancer Control Program, Montevideo, UruguayClinical Oncology, Former Director of National Cancer Institute, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaLiga Contra el Cáncer, San Pedro Sula, HondurasLiga Colombiana Contra el Cáncer, Bogotá, ColombiaMedical Oncology, Guatemala City, GuatemalaInstituto Nacional del Cáncer, Santiago, ChileLatin American School of Oncology (ELO), Mexico City, MexicoOswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Former Director of National Cancer Institute, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilONCOSALUD-AUNA, Lima, PeruSince December 2019, the world has been mired in an infectious pandemic that has displaced other health priorities for 21st century populations. Concerned about this situation, Latin American experts on cancer decided to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on cancer control in the region. The analysis was based on information obtained from public sources and scientific publications and included the characteristics of the health care and cancer control prior to the pandemic, the COVID-19 pandemic and measures implemented by the governments of the region, and the regional impact of the pandemic on cancer control together with the costs of cancer care and possible impact of the pandemic on cancer expense. We compared 2019 and 2020 data corresponding to the period March 16-June 30 and found a significant reduction in the number of first-time visits to oncology services (variable depending on the country between –28% and –38%) and a corresponding reduction in pathology (between –6% and –50%), cancer surgery (between –28% and –70%), and chemotherapy (between –2% and –54%). Furthermore, a significant reduction in cancer screening tests was found (PAP smear test studies: between –46% and –100%, mammography: between –32% and –100%, and fecal occult blood test: –73%). If this situation becomes a trend, the health and economic impact will be compounded in the postpandemic period, with an overload of demand on health services to ensure diagnostic tests and consequent treatments. On the basis of this information, a set of prevention and mitigation measures to be immediately implemented and also actions to progressively strengthen health systems are proposed.https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/GO.21.00016 |
| spellingShingle | Tabaré Vázquez Rosas Eduardo Cazap Lucía Delgado Julia Ismael Suyapa Bejarano Carlos Castro Hugo Castro Bettina Müller Francisco Gutiérrez-Delgado Luiz Antonio Santini Carlos Vallejos Sologuren Social Distancing and Economic Crisis During COVID-19 Pandemic Reduced Cancer Control in Latin America and Will Result in Increased Late-Stage Diagnoses and Expense JCO Global Oncology |
| title | Social Distancing and Economic Crisis During COVID-19 Pandemic Reduced Cancer Control in Latin America and Will Result in Increased Late-Stage Diagnoses and Expense |
| title_full | Social Distancing and Economic Crisis During COVID-19 Pandemic Reduced Cancer Control in Latin America and Will Result in Increased Late-Stage Diagnoses and Expense |
| title_fullStr | Social Distancing and Economic Crisis During COVID-19 Pandemic Reduced Cancer Control in Latin America and Will Result in Increased Late-Stage Diagnoses and Expense |
| title_full_unstemmed | Social Distancing and Economic Crisis During COVID-19 Pandemic Reduced Cancer Control in Latin America and Will Result in Increased Late-Stage Diagnoses and Expense |
| title_short | Social Distancing and Economic Crisis During COVID-19 Pandemic Reduced Cancer Control in Latin America and Will Result in Increased Late-Stage Diagnoses and Expense |
| title_sort | social distancing and economic crisis during covid 19 pandemic reduced cancer control in latin america and will result in increased late stage diagnoses and expense |
| url | https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/GO.21.00016 |
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