Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer Survival Rates
In the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were serious concerns among experts regarding how interruptions to cancer diagnosis and treatment might lead to increased mortality. A recent study seems to confirm those fears. Published by the medical journal JAMA Oncology, this federally funded research is reportedly the first to evaluate how pandemic-related disruptions affected the short-term survival of cancer patients. The findings reveal that individuals diagnosed with cancer in 2020 and 2021 exhibited worse survival rates compared to those diagnosed between 2015 and 2019, a trend that was consistent across various types of cancer and stages of diagnosis.
Naturally, patients already battling cancer faced heightened risks from COVID-19 itself. However, the researchers aimed to distinguish deaths primarily due to the virus from those resulting from other factors. Todd Burus, the study’s lead author from the University of Kentucky, mentioned that while they couldn’t pinpoint the exact reasons for the decreased survival rates, disruptions in the healthcare system were likely significant contributors. Many individuals were forced to delay cancer screenings—like colonoscopies and mammograms—as healthcare facilities became overwhelmed during the pandemic, particularly in 2020.
The study utilized data from national cancer registries to specifically analyze patients who received their first diagnosis of a malignant cancer in 2020 and 2021. The researchers focused on one-year survival rates, considering the stage of cancer at diagnosis. They discovered that one-year survival rates were lower across both early and late-stage cases. Overall, the data indicated that over 96% of those diagnosed with early-stage cancer and more than 74% of late-stage diagnoses survived beyond a year.
These figures were somewhat lower than what would have been anticipated based on trends from 2015 to 2019, resulting in approximately 17,400 excess deaths. Significant discrepancies were particularly evident in colorectal, prostate, and pancreatic cancers. Recinda Sherman, a researcher with the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, commended the study’s insights. She remarked that documenting the pandemic’s specific impacts on cancer survival is crucial for understanding how to better prepare for future health crises.
