Urgent GP referrals for suspected cancer dropped by 71% during lockdown, says study
The UK-wide study involved researchers from Queens University
Urgent GP referrals for suspected cancer dropped by 71% during lockdown.
That's according to a new UK-wide study involving researchers from Queens University.
Academics are now warning the NHS needs to ramp up diagnostic capacity.
The study has been published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet Oncology.
The research examined the effect of delays in the two-week-wait cancer referral pathway during the Covid-19 pandemic and raised fears that undiagnosed cancers could be progressing from early-stage tumours to advanced, incurable disease.
Professor Mark Lawler from Queens University, who co-authored the research, said: “It is critically important that we get our ‘red flag’ referrals and cancer diagnostic services back to normal as quickly as possible, otherwise we will fall further behind in our fight against cancer.”
"We must act now, and I mean now, otherwise we risk cancer becoming the ‘Forgotten C’ in the fight against COVID-19," he added.
Roisin Foster, Chief Executive, Cancer Focus NI, said: ‘Cancer awareness campaigns stress how important it is that we are all vigilant about our health and talk to our GP as soon as possible about any concerns that could indicate cancer – pain or lumps, unexplained bleeding or weight loss, a cough that lasts more than a few weeks, difficulty swallowing.
It is important that the red flag system works effectively to ensure cancer is diagnosed as soon as possible and appropriate treatment can begin. Lives depend on prompt diagnosis. An excellent project like this is why Cancer Focus NI funds local cancer research. We know that our NHS is under pressure – but unfortunately cancer will not wait until the pandemic passes.”