‘Tsunami of missed cancers’ expected after Covid pandemic
The UK can expect a “tsunami of missed cancers”, experts have warned, after a study found diagnoses fell sharply during the pandemic.
The International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership’s preliminary figures were presented to the World Cancer Congress, comparing data in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway and the UK, before and during the pandemic.
The results showed UK nations had the biggest and most sustained falls in the diagnosis of lung, breast, colorectal and skin cancers during 2020.
Between April and July 2020, breast cancer diagnoses fell 35% in Northern Ireland and Wales, 24% in Norway and 14% in Denmark. For lung cancer the decline was 16% in Northern Ireland and Wales, 10% in Norway and 1% in New Zealand. For the most impacted month, 44% of breast cancer cases and 30% of lung cancer cases were missed in Northern Ireland and Wales.
The figures were worst for early stage cancers, partly owing to suspension of screening programs.
Mark Lawler, professor of digital health at Queen’s University Belfast, described it as a “shocking wake up call” and “key evidence that the UK can expect a tsunami of missed cancers and a potential shift in stage that may lead to more aggressive cancers that are more difficult to treat”.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We will get the NHS catching cancer on time, diagnosing it earlier and treating it faster so more patients survive this horrible set of diseases, and we will improve patients’ experience across the system.”