Real-World Data on Cervical Cancer: The Impact of 2020 COVID-19 Outbreak on the Treatment Patterns and Healthcare...

To assess the treatment patterns and healthcare resources utilization of patients with cervical cancer (CC) within the Brazilian public health system (SUS) in 2020 versus previous years, according to the stage of disease at the diagnosis.

An observational retrospective study was conducted using the data from SUS administrative database. The period of analysis comprised 2014 to 2019 for pre-COVID-19 pandemic period and 2020 for the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study included patients with at least 1 claim under the ICD-10 code C53, and patients were classified as non-advanced CC (naCC) (stages I-II) and advanced CC (aCC) (stages III-IV).

From 2014 to 2020, a total of 206 861 women were eligible, and staging information was available for 90 073 patients (43.5%) that composed the final cohort of this study. In the 2014 to 2019 period, 60.5% of patients had CC in advanced stages, whereas in 2020 the proportion was 63.3%. Between 2014 and 2019, chemoradiotherapy was the most common treatment for both naCC (37.4%) and aCC (42.4%). In 2020, chemoradiotherapy remained the top treatment for naCC (34.8%), whereas chemotherapy only (CT only) was the most performed treatment for aCC (40.2%). In 2020, the proportion of patients with at least 1 hospitalization and outpatient visits was lower across all stages.

The findings of this study underscore the need for targeted policy interventions to improve the postpandemic healthcare landscape in Brazil. Stakeholders should prioritize the development and implementation of public policies aimed at strengthening screening programs and promoting early diagnosis of CC.