Scotland’s cancer diagnoses down 1,600 at start of pandemic

Around 1,600 fewer people than expected were diagnosed with the three most common cancers during the first nine months of the Covid pandemic, with statistics showing that breast cancer diagnosis was down by 19 per cent, lung cancer by 9 per cent and bowel cancer by 25 per cent.

 

Public Health Scotland has attempted to investigate how restrictions put in place at the start of the pandemic may have affected diagnosis of the disease.

 

Cancer Research UK have called for urgent action to prevent progress on cancer survival going backwards.

 

The Covid-19 lockdown in March last year led to severe restrictions on hospital appointments and a halt to cancer screening.

 

The Public Health Scotland report said the biggest reduction in cancer diagnoses was during that initial lockdown from April to the end of June 2020.  In the remaining months of the year, the numbers of people diagnosed with lung and breast cancer started to return to pre-pandemic levels, although bowel cancer figures remained well below previous years.

 

David Ferguson from Cancer Research UK in Scotland, said the report reinforced fears that opportunities to diagnose the disease at an early stage were missed during the pandemic.

 

He added “Urgent action is needed.  Cancer survival wasn’t good enough before the pandemic.  Too many people are waiting far too long for diagnosis and treatment so this must be addressed.”

 

Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist team of clinical negligence lawyers have years of experience in medical negligence claims, providing support and guidance after life-changing events.  Not only do we represent clients in Yorkshire, but because of our reputation we also represent clients nationally.

 

If you believe that you or a relative may have been injured as a result of clinical/medical negligence, please call for free legal advice from our medical negligence solicitors on the freephone number below.

 

Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

 

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