Covid-19 could affect cancer survival, experts warn

CANCER survival could fall as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, say experts.

Cancer Research UK said it is “really worried” about the impact of the crisis.

It said it is “essential” that cancer services continue to be restored and recover over winter, “otherwise we’re in danger of replacing one health crisis with another in time”.

The warning came as the charity estimated that three million people in the UK have missed out on cancer screening since the end of March.

And more than 350,000 people who would normally be urgently referred to hospital with suspected cancer symptoms were not.

People have been urged to come forward with any worrying symptoms, with experts reiterating the message that the health service is open for business in the safest way possible.

CRUK said the number of urgent suspected lung cancer referrals has been the slowest among cancer types to recover since April.

Since March, more than 16,000 fewer patients were urgently referred for lung cancer tests, it said.

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “Without a doubt, Covid-19 has had a really devastating impact on cancer services and patients.

“Cancer survival here in the UK lags behind comparable countries - Ireland, Norway, Canada, Australia - but the pandemic has made this worse, leaving millions of patients in a backlog waiting for cancer screening, urgent referrals and treatment, and we at Cancer Research UK really fear that this will mean poor survival for cancer patients.”

CRUK said the biggest monthly fall in urgent referrals was in April during the peak of the first wave of the pandemic.

While the numbers are steadily improving, they are still lower than before lockdown, it added.

Across the UK, around 31,000 fewer patients started treatment between April and July, a 26% reduction compared with the same timeframe in 2019.

A combination of factors could be at play, including a reluctance from patients to seek help, leading to a reduction in referrals, and the pausing of screening programmes and some diagnostic tests.

The charity said there needs to be a plan in place involving encouraging people to come forward with signs and symptoms driving an urgent referral, ensuring that screening continues, and ensuring that the surgical hubs continue to run with protected Covid spaces.

Ms Mitchell added: “It’s absolutely essential that cancer services continue to restore and recover during the winter period, because otherwise we’re in danger of replacing one health crisis with another in time.”