Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36593334›Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of epidemiology2023

Decrease of cancer diagnosis during COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Marco Angelini, Federica Teglia, Laura Astolfi, Giulia Casolari, Paolo Boffetta

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of epidemiology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 63 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
63citing papers in PubMed, 2 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

63 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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3 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

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

5 authors.

Marco AngeliniDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
Federica TegliaDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
Laura AstolfiDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
Giulia CasolariDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
Paolo BoffettaDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy. paolo.boffetta@unibo.it.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3811-2791

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Many health services, including cancer care, have been affected by the COVID-19 epidemic. This study aimed at providing a systematic review of the impact of the epidemic on cancer diagnostic tests and diagnosis worldwide. In our systematic review and meta-analysis, databases such as Pubmed, Proquest and Scopus were searched comprehensively for articles published between January 1st, 2020 and December 12th, 2021. Observational studies and articles that reported data from single clinics and population registries comparing the number of cancer diagnostic tests and/or diagnosis performed before and during the pandemic, were included. Two pairs of independent reviewers extracted data from the selected studies. The weighted average of the percentage variation was calculated and compared between pandemic and pre-pandemic periods. Stratified analysis was performed by geographic area, time interval and study setting. The review was registered on PROSPERO (ID: CRD42022314314). The review comprised 61 articles, whose results referred to the period January-October 2020. We found an overall decrease of - 37.3% for diagnostic tests and - 27.0% for cancer diagnosis during the pandemic. For both outcomes we identified a U-shaped temporal trend, with an almost complete recovery for the number of cancer diagnosis after May 2020. We also analyzed differences by geographic area and screening setting. We provided a summary estimate of the decrease in cancer diagnosis and diagnostic tests, during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. The delay in cancer diagnosis could lead to an increase in the number of avoidable cancer deaths. Further research is needed to assess the impact of the pandemic measures on cancer treatment and mortality.

Indexed as

COVID-19NeoplasmsCOVID-19 TestingDatabases, FactualHumansPandemicsPubMedCancerCancer diagnosisCOVID-19Diagnostic testMeta-analysisPandemicReview

Identifiers

PMID36593334
PMCPMC9807424

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.