Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2021 Aug 13;67Suppl 1(Suppl 1):86-90.
doi: 10.1590/1806-9282.67.Suppl1.20200889. eCollection 2021.

Dealing with cancer screening in the COVID-19 era

Thales Pardini Fagundes  1 , Ronniel Morais Albuquerque  1 , Diego Lopes Paim Miranda  2 , Luciana Castro Garcia Landeiro  3 , Gabriel Souza Fontes Ayres  4 , Caenna Corrêa E Correia  2 , Angélica Nogueira-Rodrigues  1
Affiliations
Free article
Review

Dealing with cancer screening in the COVID-19 era

Thales Pardini Fagundes et al. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). .
Free article

Abstract

Objective: This article aims to alert health professionals for cancer screening in the face of the possibility of new waves of disease.

Methods: A narrative review was conducted through a search in MEDLINE, Lilacs, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and international medical societies publications.

Results: Breast cancer: in high-risk patients (confirmed familial cancer syndrome or with high-risk tools scores), clinicians should act according to usual recommendations; in average-risk individuals, consider screening with mammography with a longer time span (maximum of two years). Cervical cancer: women turning 25 years old who have already been immunized and with no previous Pap test can have the test postponed during the pandemic; if there is no previous dose of Human Papillomavirus vaccination, initiation of screening should be recommended following a more rigid approach for COVID prevention; in women over 30 years of age who have never participated in cervical screening, the first screening exam is also essential. Colorectal cancer: if the individual is at elevated risk for familial cancer, the screening with colonoscopy according to usual recommendations should be supported; if at average risk consider screening with Fecal Occult Blood Test. Prostate cancer: there is a trend to postpone routine prostate cancer screening until the pandemic subsides.

Conclusions: The decision to keep cancer screening must be discussed and individualized, considering the possibility of new waves of COVID-19.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

  • Cancer screening and COVID-19 pandemic.
    Mungmunpuntipantip R, Wiwanitkit V. Mungmunpuntipantip R, et al. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2021 Dec;67(12):1748. doi: 10.1590/1806-9282.20210807. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2021. PMID: 34909943 No abstract available.

Substances