Cancer deaths must not be a side effect of the pandemic: delays in cancer diagnosis and treatment could cause thousands to suffer and die prematurely

Pandemic-related delays to screening, treatment, and surgeries have created a backlog of cancer patients needing more support, at more advanced stages of cancer

TORONTO, May 24, 2022 /CNW/ - The pandemic has brought our cancer care systems to a crisis point in Canada. There are signs that the cancer death rate is accelerating due to delays in cancer screening, treatment and surgeries over the last two years.

Today, we announce the launch of Cancer Action Now, an alliance of 28 health care organizations that have come together to urge provincial governments across the country to make cancer a priority as we re-build our health care systems in the wake of the pandemic.

The effects of the pandemic on people with cancer will last at least a decade. Pandemic-related declines in diagnosis and treatment could result in at least 21,247 more cancer deaths than predicted between 2020-2030.[i] However, the actual number of excess cancer deaths is likely to be much higher. Each four-week delay in cancer surgery can increase the rate of mortality by 6-8%.  Yet 50% of cancer patients continue to have their appointments cancelled or postponed due to the pandemic.[ii] With nearly half of Canadians predicted to be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime, governments across Canada need to both overhaul and invest strategically in our cancer care systems.

A patient's perspective

Laura, mother of two teenagers, was diagnosed at the end of 2021 with metastatic breast cancer. The pandemic impacted access to primary care and delayed her previously scheduled mammogram. By the time Laura was finally able to access the cancer screening program, it was found that she had stage 4 breast cancer, which means that while her cancer can be treated, it cannot be cured. Laura is sadly not alone, and even with the resumption of cancer screening programs, patients face long wait times and possible later-stage diagnoses.

The latest research shows that we need to increase cancer screening and treatment capacity by at least 10% over pre-pandemic levels in each province to address all backlogs.[iii] Cancer Action Now is confident that with urgent action from governments, we can improve the situation and create better outcomes for people with a diagnosis of cancer.  

Cancer Action Now alliance member, Jackie Manthorne from Canadian Cancer Survivor Network says "Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada, and it won't wait for the pandemic to end. By increasing cancer diagnostic and treatment capacity to address the backlog, we will have a fighting chance to minimize the excess cancer deaths in Canada. The issues with our cancer systems existed well before the pandemic but have worsened over the last two years. We need governments to acknowledge this problem and urgently develop a new plan. We need cancer action now." 

The pandemic has shown us the power of coming together and fighting a common cause. With the Ontario election just around the corner, Cancer Action Now calls on the next Ontario government to set an example for other provinces and create a cancer action plan to address the delays in screening and treatment for cancer patients. Together, we can drastically improve cancer outcomes for Canadians.  

About Cancer Action Now:

Cancer Action Now is a national alliance of patient organizations, professional associations, and life sciences companies who are witnessing the magnitude of the problem our cancer care systems and its patients are facing in light of the pandemic. We have come together to call on governments to address the issues in our cancer care systems so that Canadians with cancer have a chance to live longer, better lives than anywhere else in the world.

Cancer Action Now Alliance membership is ever-growing and includes:
Bladder Cancer Canada
Canadian Association of Thoracic Surgeons
Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology
Canadian Breast Cancer Network
Canadian Cancer Survivor Network
Canadian Liver Foundation
Canadian Urological Association
The Cancer Collaborative
Cancer Research Society
Coalition priorité cancer au Québec
Colorectal Cancer Canada
AstraZeneca
Gastrointestinal Society
GSK
HPV Global Action
Kidney Cancer Canada
Life Saving Therapies Network
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada
Lung Cancer Canada
Lung Health Foundation
Merck Canada Inc.
Myeloma Canada
Ovarian Cancer Canada
Pancreatic Cancer Canada
Rethink Breast Cancer
Roche Canada
Save Your Skin Foundation
The Society of Gynecologic Oncology of Canada 

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ⁱ T Malagón, M Drolet, MC Boily, JF Laprise, M Brisson (2021), https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ijc.33884

ⁱⁱ  Ibid.

ⁱⁱⁱ S Chen-See (2020), https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(20)30397-1/fulltext

SOURCE Cancer Action Now

For media inquiries, please contact: Charlotte Webber, 613-691-2195, [email protected]