The increase is remarkable, says surgeon Michel Wouters of the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek hospital. He is leading the investigation on behalf of the SKR, which is investigating the impact of the corona crisis on hospital care.
The increase in the percentage of patients with metastatic skin cancer into the brain is just one of the examples.
Big increase
Wouters describes how a melanoma – an aggressive form of skin cancer – can cause metastases. As an example, he mentions a malignant mole that grows in the skin, so that the cancer can enter the brain via the blood, among other things. The damage is then much greater.
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Doctors normally also diagnose ‘brain metastases’ in 29 percent of patients with metastatic melanoma. During the second wave of the corona pandemic in the autumn of 2020, this was the case for 41 percent of patients.
Many of them were also in a worse condition when they first visited the doctor. A ‘significant’ increase, according to Wouters.
Less chance of survival
With major consequences, says Wouters: “If there are metastases in the brain, the chance of survival is much worse. These patients receive more severe treatment.”
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Wouters is still very small, but an obvious explanation, according to him, is that people did not receive their first diagnosis until later due to delayed care.
Health damage in more patients
RTL Nieuws already showed last year that health damage was caused to many patients because the care was partly stopped. For example, dozens of children ended up in hospital too late, resulting in health damage.
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People did not dare to come to the hospital for fear of infections, sometimes GPs were reluctant and people were not allowed to visit. Overcrowded ICUs also played a major role in postponing care.
Effects of delayed care
Also in acute care and, for example, chronic care, the number of admitted or treated patients had decreased in 2020 compared to the two years before, the SKR reports. The parties involved are very concerned about the effects of delayed care. There will therefore be a follow-up to today’s report.
The Nice Foundation and the National Network Acute Care are members of the SKR.
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