Throughout 2020, the surge of COVID-19 led many Americans to defer essential cancer screenings such as colonoscopies, mammograms, and lung scans. This was due to the immense pressure placed on doctors and hospitals during the height of the pandemic.
Despite these delays, no significant impact on overall cancer statistics has been observed to date, according to experts who monitor such data. As highlighted in a recently released report in the journal “Cancer,” cancer death rates have continued to decline without significant increases in late cancer diagnoses. This document offers the most comprehensive analysis yet on how the pandemic has influenced cancer statistics across the United States.
At the onset of the pandemic in 2020, a larger number of cancer cases in the U.S. were detected at more advanced stages when treatment options become more complex. However, by 2021, the rates of late-stage diagnosis returned to pre-pandemic norms for most cancer types. The lead researcher, Recinda Sherman from the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, remarked that the findings are highly encouraging and reassuring. According to Sherman, there hasn’t been an evident surge in late-stage cancer diagnoses, suggesting that a spike in cancer death rates related to the pandemic is unlikely.
Furthermore, while the number of new cancer cases saw a dip in 2020, these numbers rebounded to pre-pandemic averages by 2021. The decline in new cancer diagnoses during 2020 was similar across various states, even in the face of differing COVID-19 restrictions. The research indicates that human behavior and specific hospital policies had a more significant effect than statewide policy decisions.
Although there was an increase in late-stage diagnoses of cervical and prostate cancers in 2021, these changes were not substantial. It’s important to note that the data analysis only extends until 2021, so it doesn’t provide a complete picture.
Sherman pointed out that no noticeable shifts were detected in the data. Therefore, it is unlikely that individuals with aggressive cancer went undiagnosed during this period. The report was compiled through the collaboration of the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Cancer Society.