Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34557821›Full record

ArticleThe Lancet regional health. Europe2021

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on organised cervical cancer screening: The first results of the Slovenian cervical screening programme and registry.

Urška Ivanuš, Tine Jerman, Urška Gašper Oblak, Leon Meglič, Mojca Florjančič, Margareta Strojan Fležar, Tanja Premru Sršen, Špela Smrkolj, Maja Pakiž, Maja Primic Žakelj and 5 more

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Article in The Lancet regional health. Europe, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 25 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
25citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

25 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  6. HPV vaccination coverage rate in women undergoing conization for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in Spain: The COVAR study.International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Urška IvanušCervical Cancer Screening and Registry ZORA, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Tine JermanCervical Cancer Screening and Registry ZORA, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Urška Gašper OblakGynaecologist Outpatient Clinic, Community Health Centre Ljubljana, Preglov trg 14, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Leon MegličFaculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Mojca FlorjančičCervical Cancer Screening and Registry ZORA, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Margareta Strojan FležarFaculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Tanja Premru SršenFaculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Špela SmrkoljFaculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Maja PakižDepartment of Gynaecologic and Breast Oncology, University Medical Centre Maribor, Ljubljanska ulica 5, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia.
Maja Primic ŽakeljCervical Cancer Screening and Registry ZORA, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Veronika Kloboves PrevodnikFaculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Ana PogačnikCervical Cancer Screening and Registry ZORA, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Igor JosipovićDepartment of Informatics, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Tanja MateDirectorate for Public Health, Ministry of Health of Republic of Slovenia, Štefanova ulica 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Mojca GobecDirectorate for Public Health, Ministry of Health of Republic of Slovenia, Štefanova ulica 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic threatens the impact of cervical cancer screening and global cervical cancer elimination goals. As cervical cancer screening programmes were adjusting to the new situation, we evaluated the intensity, quality, and outcomes of cervical cancer screening in Slovenia in the first seven months of the pandemic.

methodsHistorical observational study on data from a population-based cervical cancer screening registry. Number of cervical cytopathology (screening and follow-up), histopathology (diagnostic procedures, invasive procedures and number of newly diagnosed CIN2+ cases) and HPV test results from the entire Slovenian women population between January 1st and September 30th 2020 were compared to a three-year average of the years 2017-19.

findingsA two-month screening lock-down between March 12th and May 8th 2020 resulted in an epidemic deficit of screening (-92%), follow-up (-70%), and HPV triage tests (-68%), as well as invasive diagnostic (-47%) and treatment (-15%) of cervical lesions. Time to diagnosis and treatment did not increase; times to laboratory results fluctuated but stayed within standards. Slovenia has entered the second epidemic intending to add as little as possible to the pandemic deficit of screening smears (-23%) and yearly CIN2+ cases (-10%). Women aged 30-39 were most affected, with the highest pandemic deficit of screening smears (-26%) and yearly CIN2+ cases (-19%).

interpretationThe pandemic has deeply affected all levels of our lives. New vulnerable groups and inequalities have emerged that require recognition and action. To prevent long-term increases in the cervical cancer burden due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial that organised screening is maintained and monitored in settings where it can be safely and comprehensively provided.

fundingNone.

Identifiers

PMID34557821
PMCPMC8454727

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.