A new analysis in the Journal of American Medical Association reports that in eight cancers – breast (female patients only), colorectal, lung, pancreatic, cervical, gastric, oesophageal or prostate – diagnoses have returned to pre-pandemic levels in the summer of 2020 but sadly dropped below pre-pandemic numbers again from November through March of this year. 

The authors suspect that many cancers may remain undiagnosed.

The research by Kaufman and others published in the Journal of American Medical Association on August 4th suggests a significant decline in newly identified patients with six common types of cancer.  This mirrored findings from other countries.  

The Netherlands cancer registry has seen as much as a 40% decline in weekly cancer incidence and the United Kingdom has experienced a 75% decline in referrals for suspected cancer since COVID-19 restrictions were implemented. 

While residents have taken to social distancing, cancer does not pause. 

The delay in diagnosis will likely lead to presentation of cancer at more advanced stages with poorer clinical outcomes.  One study suggests a potential increase of 33,890 excess cancer deaths in the United States.  

The London General Practice, the leading London doctors’ clinic in Harley Street offers clinical governance based programmes for screening of all the major types of cancer. 

The protocols for these screening programmes have been assessed and are clinically appropriate and it encourages all those with concerns or those who would like to be screened to enrol in one of our screening programmes.

Dr Paul Ettlinger
Founder, The London General Practice

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