Conflict of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in the first diagnoses of skin cancer in 2020: a single-centre study

Abstract

The data results of the skin cancer treatment institute aim to approach the affect of COVID-19 pandemic in the first detection of new skin cancer cases in 2020. Materials and Methods The study is retrospective and compares the data between 2020 and the expected incidence of the same year (mean of the years 2016-2019) of the new diagnosed cases of skin cancer which concerns squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), basal cell carcinomas (BCC), and melanomas. Results The results of the institutional data disclose the expected concern related to COVID-19 pandemic, with a reduction of 30.1% new skin cancer cases. The decrease of first-diagnosed SCC, BCC, and melanomas compared to expected incidence is respectively 44.8%, 22.3% and 36.3%. The mean age of the patients’ skin cancer first diagnosis is impressively lower and similarly the diagnosis at stages 0 and IA shows a same course. On the contrary, skin cancer at stages IIC, III and IV that were first detected, confirmed to be much higher. Conclusions The study data revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic effluent led to skin cancer diagnosis delay. It is highly recommended to the authorities and the national health system support the early skin cancer diagnosis of the population.