English study: “Greater mortality of cancer patients due to coronal crisis” | Abroad

The researchers found that, since the onset of the corona crisis, GPs are much less likely to urgently refer patients who may have cancer. The number of appointments made for chemotherapy also decreased significantly. Under normal circumstances, 31,000 people who have been recently diagnosed with cancer are expected to die, but 6,270 deaths could now be added.

Behavioral change and economic consequences

“There are all kinds of factors involved here,” said researcher Harry Hemingway in a statement. He refers, among other things, to measures to prevent the spread of the virus, behavioral changes in people in need of medical care and the economic consequences of the corona crisis. Patients also die after becoming infected with the coronavirus.

The researchers are looking specifically at new cancer patients. Looking at all patients with that disease, nearly 18,000 more are expected to die than they had before the crisis.

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