Global impact of COVID-19 on organized CRC screening programs: lessons learned
Using a standardized data template, this study retrospectively collected data about colorectal cancer (CRC) screening activity in 2020 and 2021 to estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period (2018 or 2019). Data were collected from 17 programs in 14 countries of which 15 were population-based programs. Invitation coverage was decreased by up to 53.7 % in 2020. Participation among those invited was similar in both periods for all programs. The maximum backlog in invitations was less than 7.4 months in 2020 and 3.3 months for 2021. Nine out of 15 programs observed a decrease in the number of detected CRCs in 2020. Four programs showed a positive percentage change in CRCs detected in 2021 relative to the pre-pandemic period. Half of the countries observed a worse stage-distribution in 2020/2021. Overall, organized CRC screening programs operated at lower screening activity, but screening outcomes were similar compared to the pre-pandemic period.
Authors
- Bronwen R. McCurdy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1291-4638)
- Dominika Novak Mlakar
- Cécile Quintin
- V. Paul Doria‐Rose (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8802-5143)
- Josep Alfons Espinàs (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4027-7114)
- Jessica Chubak (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1630-9021)
- Jean‐Luc Bulliard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9750-2709)
- Lucie de Jonge (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5718-1058)
- Isabel Portillo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3871-3423)
- Andrea Burón (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3590-1303)
- Gemma Binefa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4652-0100)
- Tatjana Kofol Bric
- Rebecca A. Ziebell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4255-7785)
- Carlo Senore (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1023-7477)
- Ana Lucija Škrjanec
- Linda Rabeneck (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2375-0758)
- Julie Plaine
- Iris Lansdorp‐Vogelaar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9438-2753)
- Rebeca Font
Institutions
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (US)
- Generalitat de Catalunya (ES)
- University of Toronto (CA)
- Cancer Care Ontario (CA)
- Basque Government (ES)
- Erasmus MC (NL)
- Azienda Ospedaliera Citta' della Salute e della Scienza di Torino (IT)
- Santé Publique France (FR)
- Institut Català d'Oncologia (ES)
- National Institute of Public Health (SI)
- Hospital General de Catalunya (ES)
- National Cancer Institute (US)
- Centre universitaire de médecine générale et santé publique, Lausanne (CH)
- Erasmus University Rotterdam (NL)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Best Practice & Research Clinical Gastroenterology
- Published
- 2025-09-05
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpg.2025.102047
- Primary Topic
- COVID-19 and healthcare impacts
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Cancer Institute