Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cancer Care
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly disrupted cancer care at all stages of the pathway, from prevention and screening to diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Lockdowns and infection-control measures led to suspension of screening programmes, reduced referrals and dramatic falls in diagnostic procedures such as colonoscopies and biopsies. As a result, patients experienced delays in presentation and shifts to emergency pathways, with cancers frequently detected at more advanced stages. Treatment services also faced constraints: chemotherapy attendances and radiotherapy sessions declined, while surgical schedules were modified to minimise hospital stays. Inequalities in access were exacerbated, with marginalised and clinically vulnerable groups disproportionately affected. Emerging data predict substantial excess mortality and life-year losses stemming from deferred diagnoses and treatment interruptions, underscoring the urgent need for targeted recovery strategies to manage backlogs, restore capacity and mitigate long-term adverse outcomes on cancer survival.
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Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cancer Care publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in impact of the covid-19 pandemic on cancer care across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Diagnostic delay: Postponement of cancer diagnosis beyond standard timeframes, often leading to presentation at more advanced stages.
Screening programme: Systematic organised checks (e.g. mammography, faecal tests) aimed at detecting cancer in asymptomatic populations.
Two-week referral: An expedited pathway requiring suspected cancer cases to be seen by a specialist within two weeks of referral.
Backlog: Accumulation of patients awaiting diagnostic tests or treatment due to service interruptions.
Excess mortality: Number of deaths observed above the expected count based on pre-pandemic trends.
References
- The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer deaths due to delays in diagnosis in England, UK: a national, population-based, modelling study. The Lancet Oncology (2020).
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the detection and management of colorectal cancer in England: a population-based study. The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology (2021).
- Estimated impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer services and excess 1-year mortality in people with cancer and multimorbidity: near real-time data on cancer care, cancer deaths and a population-based cohort study. BMJ Open (2020).
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