key: cord-1018008-e18fcx6w
authors: Javor, Sanja; Sola, Simona; Chiodi, Stefano; Brunasso, Alexandra Maria Giovanna; Massone, Cesare
title: COVID‐19‐related consequences on melanoma diagnoses from a local Italian registry in Genoa, Italy
date: 2021-04-28
journal: Int J Dermatol
DOI: 10.1111/ijd.15624
sha: 82fa1174ce857de436fb165a220d14f575b43c3c
doc_id: 1018008
cord_uid: e18fcx6w

nan

We would like to focus on the impact of lockdown in Italy (from March 9, 2020, to May 18, 2020) and the COVID-19 emergency on melanoma prevention and diagnosis in 2020. (Table 1) in 2019; À3%). 5 As a logical consequence of the reduced melanoma diagnosis, also SLNB in 2020 decreased in some institutions, as observed by Filoni et al. and in our department. 5 In contrast, data reported by IMI show a slight increase in SLNB but are referred only to February-April 2020, not to all of 2020.

In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact on melanoma patients. Restriction imposed by the pandemic with limitations to access to dermatological departments forced patients to postpone visits with consequent delay in diagnosis. Particularly, the reduction observed in SLNB shows that high-risk melanoma patients were significantly affected.

The COVID-19 pandemic must become a lesson for healthcare providers and politicians, and future pandemics must be better managed. Teledermatology and teledermoscopy represent a valid alternative to face-to-face visits but still have to be implemented in routine work in Italy. 

Impact of delay in follow-up due to COVID-19 pandemic on skin cancer progression: a real-life experience from an Italian hub hospital

Epub ahead of print

A significant reduction in the diagnosis of melanoma during the COVID-19 lockdown in a third-level center in the Northern Italy

The effect of COVID-19 emergency in the management of melanoma in Italy

Melanoma diagnosis at the time of COVID-19

Management of melanoma patients during COVID-19 pandemic in an Italian skin unit

Funding source: None. doi: 10.1111/ijd.15624