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How Covid-19 is impacting on cancer

Moderator Sarah

You may have seen in the news today and on the front page of some newspapers that coronavirus has been seriously impacting on cancer diagnosis and treatment in the UK.
We’ve learned that two week wait referrals (also known as urgent referrals) have fallen by 75 per cent.

In addition to that, we’ve estimated that nearly 400 people per week are missing out on a diagnosis through screening. In England, we know that 5.4% of all cancers are diagnosed through screening but many health trusts have stopped sending out letters.

Our message to anyone who is worried is if you have a symptom you are concerned about, you should not be put off contacting your GP by fears of either contracting the coronavirus or overburdening the NHS

You can read more about how coronavirus is impacting on cancer treatment in more detail on our Blog: https://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2020/04/21/how-coronavirus-is-impacting-cancer-services-in-the-uk/

  • Offline

    Thank you Sarah, its a really worrying time and I am fearful that once we're free from corona we will have many people being diagnosed with cancer at the later stages due to lack of screening/referrals.

  • Offline in reply to Magpiemaggie

    so agree with you, its hard enough for some people to face up to asking the GP when worried, I think the delays now will cause many to arrive either further on in the disease, so needing more challenging treatment, or being found at later more life threatening stages, This will sound bad, but Im so relieved I got my diagnosis and surgery November to December last year, Thinking of those facing worries and entering treatment now.

  • Offline in reply to poland19

    Hello,my Mammogram was postponed from the beginning of May until the end of October due to Covid.Was then diagnosed with Lobular Breast Cancer which has spread to the lymph nodes.Had a lymph node clearance over 10 days ago and will find out this week whether I require chemo before definite course of Radiotherapy.Cant help wondering if things might have been different but trying not to dwell on it.

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