The Effect of Delayed Cancer Screening on Stage Shift and Increased Mortality during the Coronapandemic in The Netherlands

We investigated to what extent the temporary stop of cancer screening (breast cancer, colon cancer and cervical cancer) during the Covid-19 pandemic contributed to excess mortality in 2020 and 2021. Based on a lot of data (all open), we concluded that it is highly unlikely that this temporary screening stop had a significant effect on excess mortality in the period mentioned. The cause of this excess mortality must therefore be sought elsewhere. We were able to draw this conclusion based on a careful analysis of the available data. We emphatically do not claim that the screening stop has not been without consequences for anyone: we were not able to use data at patient level, so we cannot draw such a conclusion. We do not comment on the consequences of the screening stop in the longer term.