Endoscopy 2021; 53(S 01): S268
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1725002
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The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Colorectal Cancer Screening In The Czech Republic

S Suchanek
1   Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Military University Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic
,
O Ngo
2   Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Institute of Biostatistics and Analyses, Brno, Czech Republic
3   Institute of Health Information and Statistics, Prague, Czech Republic
,
T Grega
1   Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Military University Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic
,
J Kouril
3   Institute of Health Information and Statistics, Prague, Czech Republic
,
G Vojtechova
1   Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Military University Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic
,
O Majek
2   Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Institute of Biostatistics and Analyses, Brno, Czech Republic
3   Institute of Health Information and Statistics, Prague, Czech Republic
,
M Zavoral
1   Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Military University Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic
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Aims The population-based National Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Screening Program in the Czech Republic is offered to asymptomatic individuals aged over 50. Two methods are available: the fecal immunochemical fecal test (FIT) at age 50 – 54 annually; at age ≥ 55 biennially (followed by FIT+ colonoscopy, if positive) and screening colonoscopy at age ≥ 50 in 10 years interval. Besides these screening methods, colorectal adenomas and cancers might be find out with diagnostic colonoscopy or diagnostic FIT. During the first period of the COVID-19 pandemic (March to May) majority of the Endoscopy Units were closed or their activity was limited. Aim of the analysis was the evaluation of the CRC related procedures (screening and diagnostic FIT; screening colonoscopies; diagnostic colonoscopies) performed in the first six months of the year 2020 compared to the same period in the year 2019.

Methods The analysis was performed using the National Registry of Reimbursed Health Services in the Czech Republic.

Results Comparing the periods from January to June in year 2020 and 2019, the analyzed procedures altogether dropped by 20.6 % with maximum decrease in April (-71.6 %) and recovery phase in June (+27.6 %). The most noticeable impact was on the screening FIT (detail results in the table).

Procedure/time period

April

June

January-June

Screening FIT

-75.9 %

+32.2 %

-22.6 %

Screening colonoscopy

-58.4 %

-7.0 %

-20.5 %

Diagnostic FIT

-67.8 %

+67.5 %

+10.8 %

Diagnostic colonoscopy

-53.8 %

+4.7 %

-17.6 %

Conclusions The decline of the colorectal cancer prevention related procedures in the first period of COVID-19 pandemic was followed by the intensive recovery phase. The long-term impact on CRC incidence and mortality will be influenced by the ongoing second phase of the pandemic and its future development.

Supported by the Czech Ministry of Health grants No. NV18-08-00246 and No. 17-31909A and projects MO1012 and Progres Q28/LF1.

Citation Suchanek S, Ngo O, Grega T et al. eP513 THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC. Endoscopy 2021; 53: S268.



Publication History

Article published online:
19 March 2021

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