Volume 30, Issue 175, September 2026

Cancer screening adherence after the COVID-19 pandemic: Global challenges and outcomes

Julia Rojek^♦, Jan Olszewski, Szymon Uszak, Patrycja Jędrzejewska, Tomasz Szczawiński, Izabela Ślusarczyk, Wojciech Szlajss, Daria Wieczorek, Natalia Kruk, Adrianna Chachuła

Medical University of Lodz: Lodz, Łódź Voivodeship, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Julia Rojek, Medical University of Lodz: Lodz, Łódź Voivodeship, Poland

ABSTRACT

Background/Purpose: The spread of the novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has caused major problems for cancer screening services around the world. This has led to delayed diagnoses, more advanced stages of cancer at diagnosis, and an expected increase in cancer deaths. This review looks at how the pandemic has affected cancer screening around the world. It also looks at how people are recovering and what new treatments and policies are being used to get more people screened. Methods: A thorough search was done on PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Also, the keywords included "breast/cervical/colorectal cancer testing" and "COVD- 19." The article contains articles published between January 2019 and June 2025. The articles published between 2021 and 2025 were given priority. Thirteen studies met the requirements for inclusion in this review. Results: At the start of the pandemic, there were big decreases in cancer screenings. For different cancers and places, reductions of 50-94% were seen. The cuts were especially bad for screenings for cervical and breast cancer. The recovery was uneven. Guidelines were more often followed in high-income countries by 2021–2022, however, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) continued to face significant challenges until 2023. Disparities in guideline adherence worsened along racial, economic, and geographic lines. After the pandemic, people were more likely to continue following the rules if they were taught new ways to do so or given support through telehealth. Originality: The review analyses cancer screening disruptions and recovery (2019-25) in high-, middle- and low-income health systems.

Keywords: cancer screening, COVID-19 pandemic, screening adherence, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, health disparities, global oncology

Medical Science, 2026, 30, e194ms3941

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Published: 25 September 2026