Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention
Cancer Screening in the Postpandemic Era: Lessons from Disruption and a Path Forward
Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic exposed critical vulnerabilities in cancer screening systems while revealing strategies that enabled resilience. Analysis of data from the National Cancer Institute’s Population-based Research to Optimize the Screening Process (PROSPR) consortium across 10 US health systems documented dramatic declines in cervical, colorectal, and lung cancer screening during April to May 2020, with some sites experiencing drops of up to 96%. Systems with established mailed fecal testing programs reco …