Despite entering 2021 still fighting the coronavirus pandemic, the ongoing battle between Cancer and Covid-19 continues to rage behind the scenes, with Early Detection and treatment being delayed as the NHS struggles to cope with rising Covid-19 infection numbers and hospital admissions. In England, at least 4 million fewer diagnostic scans were performed between April and September 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, falling well below of the operational standards for referrals. Growing waiting lists for diagnosis aren’t the only issue. At a major London NHS trust, potentially life-saving cancer surgeries are being temporarily suspended due to capacity problems caused by Covid-19.
Head of Early Diagnosis for Cancer Research UK, Jody Moffatt, is concerned that delays could cause patients to be ‘diagnosed with a more aggressive, later-stage cancer’. Despite some surgeries being delayed, other treatments like chemotherapy are going ahead. NHS cancer services are open for patients and if you are concerned, you should see your GP. Nevertheless, the growing wait for diagnosis illustrates the clear need for access to new forms of early cancer screening methods, such as RMDM’s PanTum Detect
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