Keywords
Screening
Cancer
COVID-19
Cytology
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Abstract
Objective: To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cervical cancer screening in Brazil. Methods: Analysis of cervical cytology exams results obtained from DATASUS, using 2019 as a reference year. Results: From 2020 to 2024, despite a cumulative reduction of 2,921,223 cervical cytology exams performed, there was a cumulative increase of 28,998 abnormal exams. The increase in the frequency of abnormal exams of the diagnostic categories requiring colposcopy was progressive from 2020 to 2024, reaching a frequency 29.67% higher in 2024 compared to 2019, p<0.001. In 2020, there was an increase in the frequency of exams for repetition and follow-up, p<0.001. From 2021 to 2024, there was an increase in the frequency of delay in performing cervical cytology exams, among those with abnormal results, reaching the highest frequency in 2023, at 21.79%, while in 2019 it was only 5.61%, p<0.001. Conclusion: There was an increase in the frequency of abnormal cervical cytology exams, during and after the pandemic, which occurred due to the prioritization of cervical cytology exams for repetition and follow-up, at the beginning of the pandemic, and the delay in performing exams, at the end and after the pandemic.
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