The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a drastic reduction in the total number of skin biopsies performed for skin cancer diagnosis.
“We examined the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosis of skin cancer via biopsy in a large population-based cohort in a Canadian context, stratifying according melanoma and non-melanoma cancer types,” wrote the study authors.
Researchers examined skin biopsies from January 6, 2020, to September 27, 2020, and compared the numbers to the same period for 2019 using a universal health care claims dataset from Ontario, Canada.
Results determined a 15% drop in total skin biopsies, 18% drop in biopsies for keratinocyte carcinoma, and 25% drop for melanoma with the onset of COVID-19 (P<.01). Patients aged 80 years and older and females were less likely to have a skin biopsy compared with patients aged 20 to 59 years and males. A regional difference in skin biopsy rates was also discovered.
“A drastic reduction in number of skin biopsies is noted early in the COVID-19 pandemic; this disproportionately affected females, the elderly and residents of certain regions,” concluded the study authors. “A large backlog of skin biopsies was observed during the pandemic, persisting well after initial lockdown measures were instated. This will have implications for downstream care of skin cancer. We recommend that public health messages encourage individuals with suspicious skin lesions to seek evaluation in a timely fashion, and that this is welcome and encouraged,” they continued. –Lisa Kuhns
Reference
Asai Y, Nguyen P, Hanna TP. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on skin cancer diagnosis: a population-based study. PLoS One. 2021;16(3):e0248492. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0248492
