The Pandemic’s Negative Impact on Cancer Diagnosis

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In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, early-stage cancer diagnoses decreased by nearly 20%. Lancet Oncology recently published a study stating that patients were more likely to get diagnosed with a metastatic disease due to the disruptions to the healthcare system. This study analyzed all types of cancer and is the most comprehensive analysis of cancer diagnoses during the pandemic. The Lancet Oncology utilized a nationwide registry, which captured over 70% of cancer diagnoses. The study found that the largest decline in diagnoses occurred during the initial shutdowns in early 2020.

While some cancers can be easily detected through certain screenings, others necessitate primary care specialists and diagnostic tests for accurate detection. During the earlier months of the pandemic, many of these resources were unavailable. Xuesong Han, the lead author of this study and the scientific director of health services at the American Cancer Society, stated that cancer diagnoses returned to a “near pre-pandemic level” in June 2020, remaining steady at around 60,000 monthly diagnoses for the rest of the year. When Xuesong Han was asked if levels have returned to pre-pandemic levels once again, she stated that she cannot tell as the data is “not available yet.” The current data that Han collected has illustrated that diagnoses were 7% more likely in 2020 and that communities of color were affected the most.

With nearly 2 million new cancer diagnoses each year, the recent delays in diagnosis may result in tens of thousands of additional patient deaths. Additionally, it will result in tens of millions of dollars in healthcare costs. Lung cancer, for example, is responsible for 1 in 5 of all cancer deaths in the U.S. Lung cancer kills more people than breast, colon, and prostate cancer combined on a yearly basis. If caught in the early stages, the five-year survival rate is around 56%. If caught in the late stages, the survival rate decreases to only 5%. Additionally, the cost of treating stage 1 lung cancer averages $15,000, while the cost of treating stage 4 lung cancer averages around $210,000.

With new technologies on the horizon, scientists are optimistic that the process of diagnosing cancer will improve. Moreover, with the COVID-19 pandemic slowing down, more resources have become available for diagnosing patients.

By Justin Goldberg