Impact of the Corona Pandemic on Cervical Cancer Screening Assessment

Stübs F, Behrens A, Seibold A, Adler W, Geppert CI, Hartmann A, Knöll A, Koch MC, Mehlhorn G, Beckmann M, Theuser AK, Schulmeyer C, Gaß P, Dietl A (2024)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2024

Journal

In Vivo International Institute of Anticancer Research (IIAR)

Book Volume: 38

Pages Range: 734-740

Journal Issue: 2

DOI: 10.21873/invivo.13495

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIM: The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in disruptions to healthcare systems throughout the world. The numbers of cytology examinations, human papillomavirus (HPV) tests, and women referred for colposcopy decreased in many countries. There have been no reports on cervical cancer screening in Germany. This study aimed to describe changes in the numbers of colposcopies, cytology examinations, HPV tests, and histological results during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic years in order to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cervical cancer screening. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The numbers of colposcopies, cytology examinations, HPV tests, and histologic results were analyzed retrospectively for the period January 2018 to December 2022. The 2 years period before the pandemic (2018 and 2019) were compared with the 3 years period of the pandemic (2020-2022). RESULTS: In total, 6,518 colposcopies were performed in 5,579 women. The numbers of colposcopies, cytology examinations, and high-risk HPV (hrHPV) tests increased during the pandemic years. The number of biopsies per year taken was stable (range=450-554). The relative numbers of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) III/HSIL findings were stable, while the numbers of cervical cancers identified increased slightly from 15 (6.6%) in 2018 to 22 (7.4%) in 2022. CONCLUSION: Increases in numbers of women examined and colposcopies were observed in the years 2021 and 2022 during the pandemic, in comparison to the preceding years. These also led to increases in the figures for cytology, hrHPV, histology, and operations. The onset of the pandemic occurred in the same year as a newly organized screening program started in Germany. The increases might therefore be due to the newly organized screening system.

Authors with CRIS profile

Frederik Stübs Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Annika Behrens Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Anja Seibold Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Werner Adler Lehrstuhl für Biometrie und Epidemiologie (IMBE) Carol-Immanuel Geppert Institute of Pathology Arndt Hartmann Lehrstuhl für Allgemeine Pathologie und Pathologische Anatomie Antje Knöll Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology Matthias Beckmann Lehrstuhl für Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde Carla Schulmeyer Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Paul Gaß Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Anna Dietl Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Involved external institutions

ANregiomed DE Germany (DE) Deutsche Krebsgesellschaft (DKG) DE Germany (DE) Institut für Frauengesundheit GmbH DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Stübs, F., Behrens, A., Seibold, A., Adler, W., Geppert, C.-I., Hartmann, A.,... Dietl, A. (2024). Impact of the Corona Pandemic on Cervical Cancer Screening Assessment. In Vivo, 38(2), 734-740. https://doi.org/10.21873/invivo.13495

MLA:

Stübs, Frederik, et al. "Impact of the Corona Pandemic on Cervical Cancer Screening Assessment." In Vivo 38.2 (2024): 734-740.

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