Delays in cancer diagnosis, with a focus on oral cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic - literature review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2021.11.09.021Keywords
covid-19, pandemic, oral cancerAbstract
Introduction: Since the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) was classified as a pandemic infection on March 11, 2020, it has spread rapidly around the world. The total number of confirmed infections was 217,119,281 and the total deaths were 4,510,202 worldwide, as of August 31, 2021. The changes in life caused by these new threats also impacted patient care. Medics around the world have had to adapt to this new reality. There is a lot of research into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosis and treatment of other diseases, including cancer.
The aim of the study: Paying attention to the causes of delays in the diagnosis of cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic, with particular emphasis on oral cancer.
Material and method: The research was done using the PubMed and Google Scholar articles about the topics of: covid-19 pandemic; oral cancer; healthcare; cancer diagnosis
Description of the state of knowledge: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on the entire health system around the world. According to various studies, there were fewer cancer diagnoses between 2020 and 2021. Studies have identified the causes of these delays, such as: overwork and fatigue of health care workers, limited access to doctors due to quarantine, patients' fear of being infected in a health care facility, and the lack of follow-up visits, including dental visits.
Summary:Undoubtedly, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has put the people with chronic illnesses and those who are immunocompromised at the most risk. Solutions such as telemedicine during lockdown may be helpful in caring for cancer patients, but cannot replace a comprehensive examination by a doctor, especially in the case of oral cancer. As a result of the diagnostic delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant increase in the number of cancer deaths worldwide is expected.
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