COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING INTERRUPTION DURING COVID-19: EXPERIENCE FROM AN ITALIAN ENDOSCOPY CENTRE

Aims The ongoing pandemic has resulted in profound disruptions of various aspects of healthcare. During the emergency phase of COVID-19, the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) of the ColoRectal Cancer Screening (CRCS) program has been interrupted in Italy, raising concerns of increased delays in colorectal cancer detection rates.

Methods We carried out a retrospective study to compare data of the CRCS colonoscopies of the pandemic period (March 2020-2021) with those of the same period of 2019-2020. The cumulative delay and the estimate of the fewer identified malignant and pre-malignant lesions were calculated. The ‘standard months’ of delay, namely the number of months that would be needed to catch up the cumulative delay if endoscopy volumes were similar to the pre-pandemic period, was also assessed.

Results The cumulative delay assessed during the pandemic period was 440 colonoscopies (56.4%, 344 vs 784). The estimate of the fewer identified malignant and pre-malignant lesions was 0.48 (IC 95% 0.44-0.57) and 2.5 (IC 95% 2.3-2.6), respectively. The standard months of delay were 6.7. Being aware of these data, our Endoscopy Unit has approved a plan focused on staff recruitment and connections to other medical institutions to catch up on the delay accumulated during the last year.

Fig. 1

Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in decreased FIT and endoscopic testing for colorectal cancer. CRSC programs are slowly resuming and therefore more structured and solid ones are needed. As an example of this, our Endoscopy Unit seized the opportunity presented by the COVID-19 crisis to enhance and support CRCS activities.

Publication History

Article published online:
14 April 2022