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Review
. 2021 Oct;39(4):627-637.
doi: 10.1016/j.det.2021.05.015. Epub 2021 May 28.

Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Delayed Skin Cancer Services

Sarem Rashid  1 , Hensin Tsao  2
Affiliations
Review

Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Delayed Skin Cancer Services

Sarem Rashid et al. Dermatol Clin. 2021 Oct.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a unique set of challenges to cancer care centers around the world. Diagnostic and treatment delays associated with lockdown periods may be expected to increase the total number of avoidable skin cancer deaths. During this unprecedented time, dermatologists have been pressed to balance early surgical interventions for skin cancer with the risk of viral transmission. This article summarizes evidenced-based recommendations for the surgical management of cutaneous melanoma, keratinocyte cancer, and Merkel cell carcinoma during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional long-term studies are required to determine the effect of COVID-19 on skin cancer outcomes.

Keywords: COVID-19; COVID-19 delays; Evidence-based guidelines; Skin cancer; Surgical delay; Survival; Time to surgery.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure The authors have nothing to disclose.

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