Johansson Anna, Skog Anna, Johannesen Tom Børge, Myklebust Tor Åge, Kønig Simon M, Skovlund Charlotte Wessel, Mørch Lina Steinrud, Friis Søren, Kristiansen Marnar Fríðheim, Pettersson David, Gudmundsdóttir Eva María, Kristinsdóttir Nanna Margrét, Birgisson Helgi, Irenaeus Sandra, Ahlgren Johan, Lambe Mats, Hirvonen Elli, Pitkäniemi Janne, Ursin Giske
Cancer Registry of Norway, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Cancer Registry of Norway, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
Acta Oncol. 2025 Feb 12;64:257-266. doi: 10.2340/1651-226X.2025.42079.
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted substantially on cancer healthcare, including the temporary suspension of screening activities. We compared cancer incidence rates and stage during 2020-2021 to pre-pandemic rates in the Nordic countries.
Using data from the national cancer registries in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, we estimated age-, sex-, and period-adjusted incidence rate ratios, expressed as relative percentage change (%) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), comparing rates in 2020-2021 to those in 2017-2019 (pre-pandemic).
In 2020-2021, 340,675 cancer cases were diagnosed. The incidence rates declined during the first pandemic wave (Q2 2020), ranging from -21.7% [95% CI: -23.3%; -20.2%] (Sweden) to -7.9% [-17.7%; 3.0%] (Iceland). Incidence rates also declined in the second pandemic wave (Q1 2021), ranging from -8.6% [-10.2%; -6.9%] (Sweden) to -2.3% [-4.6%; 0.1%] (Norway), and in Sweden also by -3.1% [-4.8%; -1.3%] in the third pandemic wave (Q4 2021). Stage I breast cancer incidence declined during 2020 in Denmark/Norway/Sweden, with some catch-up in stage II incidence in 2021. Prostate cancer rates declined in Denmark/Finland/Norway/Sweden during 2020-2021, while melanoma rates declined in Finland in 2020. During 2020, colon cancer rates declined in Denmark and Iceland, while rectal cancer rates declined in Denmark, and lung and kidney cancer rates declined in Norway.
During 2020-2021, cancer incidence rates declined across the Nordic countries with the largest declines in Sweden. During the third pandemic wave, the incidence rates were mostly similar to pre-pandemic rates. Changes in cancer stage may reflect reduced screening activities.
新冠疫情对癌症医疗保健产生了重大影响，包括筛查活动的暂时中止。我们比较了2020 - 2021年北欧国家的癌症发病率和分期与疫情前的发病率和分期。
利用丹麦、芬兰、冰岛、挪威和瑞典国家癌症登记处的数据，我们估计了年龄、性别和时期调整后的发病率比，以相对百分比变化（%）表示，并给出95%置信区间（CI），比较2020 - 2021年与2017 - 2019年（疫情前）的发病率。
2020 - 2021年，共诊断出340,675例癌症病例。在疫情的第一波（2020年第二季度）发病率下降，范围从 - 21.7% [95% CI： - 23.3%； - 20.2%]（瑞典）到 - 7.9% [- 17.7%；3.0%]（冰岛）。在疫情的第二波（2021年第一季度）发病率也下降，范围从 - 8.6% [- 10.2%； - 6.9%]（瑞典）到 - 2.3% [- 4.6%；0.1%]（挪威），在瑞典第三波疫情（2021年第四季度）发病率也下降了 - 3.1% [- 4.8%； - 1.3%]。2020年丹麦/挪威/瑞典的I期乳腺癌发病率下降，2021年II期发病率有所回升。2020 - 2021年丹麦/芬兰/挪威/瑞典的前列腺癌发病率下降，2020年芬兰的黑色素瘤发病率下降。2020年，丹麦和冰岛的结肠癌发病率下降，丹麦的直肠癌发病率下降，挪威的肺癌和肾癌发病率下降。
2020 - 2021年，北欧国家的癌症发病率下降，瑞典下降幅度最大。在第三波疫情期间，发病率大多与疫情前相似。癌症分期的变化可能反映了筛查活动的减少。
