Pandemic Restrictions Impacted Cancer Diagnoses and Survival Rates, Reveals Alberta Study

A recent study conducted in Alberta, Canada, sheds light on the significant effects of pandemic restrictions on cancer care and diagnoses. The study, led by Dr. Darren Brenner, an epidemiologist and associate professor at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine, examined data from three distinct time periods to analyze the impact of COVID-19 measures on cancer patients. The findings revealed a substantial drop in new diagnoses for breast, colorectal, prostate cancers, and melanoma during the state of emergency phase. Furthermore, patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2020 experienced poorer 1-year survival rates compared to those diagnosed in 2018. The study emphasizes the crucial role of screening services in identifying cancers at early stages and underscores the need for maintaining preventive and diagnostic services during times of crisis.