Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Diagnosis of Melanoma and Keratinocyte Carcinomas: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Acta Derm Venereol. 2024 Mar 14:104:adv19460. doi: 10.2340/actadv.v104.19460.

Abstract

Since December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected healthcare. The real effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on skin cancer are still unclear, more than 3 years later. This study aims to summarise the pandemic's impact on skin cancer diagnosis and outcome. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted, selecting studies comparing skin cancer diagnosis and prognosis post-pandemic with pre-pandemic data. A total of 27 papers were reviewed including 102,263 melanomas and 271,483 keratinocyte carcinomas. During the initial pandemic months (January-July 2020), melanoma surgeries dropped by 29.7% and keratinocyte carcinomas surgeries by 50.8%. Early pandemic tumours exhibited greater thickness and stage. In a long-term period beyond the initial months, melanoma surgeries decreased by 9.3%, keratinocyte carcinomas by 16.6%. No significant differences were observed in the Breslow thickness of melanomas after the start of the pandemic (mean difference 0.06, 95% confidence interval -0.46, 0.58). Melanomas operated on post-pandemic onset had an increased risk of ulceration (odds ratio 1.35, 95% confidence interval 1.22-1.50). Keratinocyte carcinomas showed increased thickness and worsened stage post-pandemic. However, studies included were mostly retrospective and cross-sectional, reporting diverse data. This review indicates that the pandemic likely caused delays in skin cancer diagnosis and treatment, potentially impacting patient outcomes.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19 Testing
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • Carcinoma*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Humans
  • Keratinocytes / pathology
  • Melanoma* / diagnosis
  • Melanoma* / epidemiology
  • Melanoma* / surgery
  • Pandemics
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Skin Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Skin Neoplasms* / epidemiology
  • Skin Neoplasms* / surgery