Trends in gynecologic oncology before and during COVID - 19 pandemic in Tuzla Canton

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its management on the rate of newly diagnosed cancers from the perspective of a tertiary referral center in Tuzla Canton.

Methods: All patients diagnosed with gynecological cancer at Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Clinical Center Tuzla, in prepandemic, pandemic and postpandemic period, were presented in this study.

Gynecological cancer was defined as one of the following diagnoses: ovarian or tubal carcinoma, cervical carcinoma, endometrial carcinoma, uterine sarcoma, vulvar carcinoma, vaginal carcinoma, and germ cell tumors.

A total of 579 patients with newly diagnosed cancers were collected in 2020. There were 109 newly diagnosed gynecological cancers in 2020., while in 2019 there were 134, and 136 in 2021. Numbers of gynecological cancers diagnosed during pandemic were compared to numbers in prepandemic and postpandemic period.

Results: There was a total of 579 patients with newly diagnosed cancer in Clinical Center of Tuzla during 2020. That showes strong decline of newly diagnosed cancers compared to 2019 with 1030 newly diagnosed cancers. Of these 579 patients, 109 presented in 2020 with newly diagnosed gynecological cancers. That shows strong decrease compared to 2019. with 134 newly diagnosed gynecological cancers and 2021 with 136 gynecological cancers. In 2019. 4015 PAP tests were examined, with only 1917 PAP tests examined in 2020 (diagram 4). In 2019. we did 199 HPV typisation test, while in 2020. there were only 34.

Conclusion: The lockdown coused by COVID - 19 pandemic led to decreased number of routine examinations including annual PAP smear testing and HPV typisation tests. It also led to decrease number of other checkups. All of that led to decreased number of newly diagnosed gynecological cancers.