Thousands of UK cancer cases could be going undetected each week, charity warns

Situation could jeopardise recovery of thousands, Cancer Research UK says

Samuel Osborne
Wednesday 22 April 2020 16:28 BST
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Over 2,200 cancer cases could be going undetected each week amid the coronavirus crisis, a charity has warned, drastically reducing patients’ chances of survival.

The number of urgent referrals by GPs have dropped to about 25 per cent of usual levels, Cancer Research UK found.

The charity said this is due to fewer people going to see their GP and also practitioners’ reluctance to send patients to hospital due to the risk of Covid-19.

It said screening services had been formally paused in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and are “de facto” paused in England as no appointments are being made at screening hubs.

It comes after hundreds of dying cancer patients had their home visits by Marie Curie nurses cancelled due to a lack of personal protective equipment, with some patients being asked to “make their own mind up” about whether or not to continue treatment at hospitals battling the pandemic.

Typically, screening services would see around 200,000 each week for diseases such as bowel, breast cancer and cervical cancer across the UK, taking on an average of 2,250 cases.

Cancer Research UK estimates the situation could jeopardise the recovery of thousands of people, as early-stage cancers are significantly easier to treat and that the numbers of new cases are stacking up each week.

In an analysis on its website, it said doctors are concerned early stage cancers are being “parked” for three months or more.

After this point, the chances of curative surgery to remove all of the cancerous tissue – reducing the need for chemo or radiotherapy – become less likely.

Cancer Research UK is now calling on the NHS to develop a plan to dramatically ramp up screening services to deal with the backlog of cases once it is safe to do so.

Professor Charles Swanton, chief clinician at Cancer Research UK, told Radio 4’s Today programme the government needs to urgently deliver on its promise to create “Covid-free” hubs in private hospitals.

“In some parts of the country that is definitely happening, patients are having Covid-19 screening 48 hours prior to surgical admission,” he said.

“What is not happening routinely right now – although there are promising signs – is the routine screening of all staff, not just symptomatic but asymptomatic staff, in an effort to create truly coronavirus-free cancer hubs.

“The truth is, in medicine total certainty is very difficult but we can minimise risk and minimising risk requires testing, testing, testing.”

Prof Swanton said the risk of not going to a doctor is much greater than seeking medical help and potentially catching coronavirus.

The current situation is having a particular impact on the diagnosis of lung cancers – the most common cause of cancer death – for fear of spreading Covid-19 to healthcare staff, Cancer Research UK said.

Cancers that require invasive tests such as endoscopy, bronchoscopies and guided biopsies are also going undetected, the charity said.

It further warned urgent surgeries are being delayed in many parts of the country due to a lack of recovery beds with ventilation and no intensive care beds if surgery were to go wrong.

The risk of Covid-19 infection for both patients and staff was also a limiting factor in the number of surgeries being carried out, the charity said.

Additional reporting by Press Association

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