Impact of COVID-19 on breast cancer screening in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS)

Abstract

Objectives: investigating the impact of the pandemic on breast cancer screening in the Unified Health System, in addition to comparing the data obtained from other countries. Methods: a quantitative cross-sectional observational study was carried out, with references from the Cancer Information System - SISCAN on the number of mammograms performed from 2014 to 2022 by women in Brazil. Results: data regarding mammography in the high-risk population showed a drop of 38, 39% from 2019 to 2020. While in screening mammography, the decline was slightly more significant, at 39.18% in the same period. Regarding diagnostic mammography, the reduction was 33.15%, and in target population mammography, the peak was in 2019 with 2.721.075. On the other hand, the performance of mammography in patients already treated had a smaller decrease of 9.35%. Conclusions: there was a significant reduction in the number of mammograms performed in 2019 and 2020, which might lead to a late diagnosis of the disease and a worse prognosis.