Effects of covid-19 lockdown on tumour burden of melanoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma

Antonio Tejera-Vaquerizo, Sabela Paradela, Agustí Toll, Jorge Santos-Juanes, Ane Jaka, Alba López, Javier Cañueto, Álvaro Bernal, Isabel Villegas-Romero, Carla Ferrándiz-Pulido, Héctor Perandones, David Moreno-Ramírez, Carolina Domínguez-Mahamud, Rafael Salido-Vallejo, Onofre Sanmartín, Francisco M. Almazán-Fernández, Pedro Rodríguez-Jiménez, José Bañuls, Sebastian Podlipnik, Alejandra Sandoval-ClavijoAram Boada, Beatriz García-Bracamonte, Sara Palencia, David Revilla-Nebreda, Enara Reola-Ramírez, María Del Carmen Gómez-Mateo, Mario Linares-Barrios, David Jiménez-Gallo, Carlos González-Cruz, Elia Samaniego, María Navedo-De Las Heras, Rosa Taberner, Teresa Ródenas-Herranz, Carmen García-Donoso, Susana Puig, Eduardo Nagore

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare tumour burden in patients who underwent surgery for melanoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma during nation-wide lockdown in Spain due to COVID-19 (for the period 14 March to 13 June 2020) and during the same dates in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. In ad-dition, associations between median tumour burden (Breslow thickness for melanoma and maximum clinical diameter for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma) and demographic, clinical, and medical factors were analysed, building a multivariate linear regression model. During the 3 months of lockdown, there was a significant decrease in skin tumours operated on (41% decrease for melanoma (n = 352 vs n = 207) and 44% decrease for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (n = 770 vs n = 429)) compared with the previous year. The proportion of large skin tumours operated on increased. Fear of SARS-CoV-2 infection, with re-spect to family member/close contact, and detection of the lesion by the patient or doctor, were related to thicker melanomas; and fear of being diagnosed with cancer, and detection of the lesion by the patient or relatives, were related to larger size cutaneous squa-mous cell carcinoma. In conclusion, lockdown due to COVID-19 has resulted in a reduction in treatment of skin cancer.

Original languageEnglish
Article numberadv00525
JournalActa Dermato-Venereologica
Volume101
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • COVID-19
  • Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
  • Delay
  • Melanoma
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Surgery

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Dermatology

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