The telegraph: Quarter of a million cancer referrals missed due to Covid-19
Shafaq News / According to a report published by the British newspaper "Telegraph", on Monday, that the chances of surviving cancer have decreased due to the outbreak of the new Corona virus.
An analytical report conducted by the Institute for Public Policy Research in Britain (IPPR) concluded that 5-year survival rates for breast cancer will drop from 85% to 83.5% and from 58.4% to 56.1% for colorectal cancer, and from 16.2% to 15.4%. For lung cancer.
The report suggests that Covid-19 cancelled nearly a decade of progress in saving the lives of cancer patients in the United Kingdom, especially as it disrupts early diagnosis and urgent detection by the general practitioner, as it is assumed that the cancer patient consults the specialist within two weeks, if the family doctor suspected he had the disease.
"The epidemic has been devastating, not only for families directly affected by the virus, but even for people who have loved ones suffering from other health conditions," said Assistant Director of the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), Harry Benner.
He added, "The analysis shows that thousands of people die prematurely from cancer as a result of the NHS shutdown."
Benner called for giving cancer patients a top priority and restoring health services to them.
The ministers and officials in the United Kingdom had promised, with the beginning of the spread of the Corona epidemic, that the health services provided to cancer patients would not be affected, but many reports showed the cancellation of some clinics, and the postponement of chemotherapy doses, in contrast, the National Health Services Authority confirms that cancer services are working and expanding.
The British Authority said that During the pandemic, up to 10 thousand chemical doses were provided to patients at homes, ,as well as conducting regular checks for cancer patients, in addition to the staff who provide treatment services.
