KNOCK ON
If coronavirus lockdown lasts for six months, 50,000 cancer patients will die, says top doc
IF the coronavirus lockdown lasts for six months 50,000 cancer patients could die prematurely, a top doctor is warning.
Leading oncologist Professor Karol Sikora claimed cutbacks to cancer treatment amid the coronavirus pandemic will be a "death sentence" for many patients.
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And he fears thousands of people are today unknowingly living with symptoms of a disease that are going undiagnosed because of the pandemic - that will eventually kill them.
It comes as vital cancer screening has been put on hold across the country - with Cancer Research UK estimating that 2,300 cancers are now being missed a week.
Prof Sikora, chief medical officer at Rutherford Health and former head of the World Health Organisation's cancer programme, wrote on the : "If this continues for six months, I suspect that in the years to come there will be at least 50,000 excess cancer deaths. That is a terrifying number.
"Normally about 30,000 people a month are diagnosed with cancer. But this April it’s likely to be fewer than 5,000. And the reason for that is, quite simply, they are not being diagnosed."
'Next public health disaster'
Prof Sikora warned that while coronavirus is currently dominating the news cycle, the next public health disaster facing this country will be "the millions whose lives were put at risk because they were neglected during this crisis."
He pointed out that the number of patients being referred by GPs for urgent hospital appointments has dropped by 75 per cent since the start of the coronavirus outbreak.
Prof Sikora admitted that this could be because individuals are wary of visiting their GP or attending hospital in case they are exposed to the virus - or that they may not want to burden the NHS.
However, he is now urging anyone with suspected symptoms of cancer, including vague signs such as weight loss, back ache and hoarseness, to seek NHS treatment or to get in touch with their GP.
He added: "It isn’t an illness that can be diagnosed on Skype or Zoom."
Signs of cancer you shouldn't ignore
Knowing the early signs is vital to catching cancer early and improving chances of survival.
1. Unusual lumps
Cancerous lumps often tend to be painless so you can’t just wait around for any odd lumps and bumps to start feeling sensitive – as that may not happen.
2. Persistent coughing
While this is also a sign of coronavirus, if you've had a cough for months at a time and it doesn't go away this could be a sign of lung cancer.
3. Changes in poo
Bowel cancer symptoms can include changes to normal bowel habits, including looser poo, pooing more often or constipation.
4. Needing to pee more frequently
Early prostate cancer, unfortunately, often has no symptoms at all but when they do present, one of the first tends to be peeing more than usual, getting up in the night to wee, needing to pee urgently and having difficulty in passing urine.
5. Unexpected bleeding from vagina, penis or bottom
Vaginal bleeding is the most common symptom of cervical and vaginal cancers.
Same with anal passages and penises – neither should bleed and if they do, they could be signs of bowel or penile cancer.
6. Unexplained weight loss
If you haven’t been actively trying to lose weight and find that a couple of stone have suddenly fallen off, that’s not a good sign.
Losing weight when you are not trying to is a very common symptom in people with cancer.
7. Fatigue
Who isn’t tired these days? But there’s a difference between being a bit sleep deprived and having a complete lack of energy.
“Fatigue for people with cancer might not go away even when you rest,” says .
8. New or changing moles
You need to be on the lookout for any new moles or any changes in the size, shape or colour of existing ones.
9. A wound, spot or mouth ulcer that won't heal
Ulcers that don’t health within four weeks or a spot or core that doesn’t clear up within a month are also potential symptoms.
10. Unexplained or chronic pain
Having pain that you can’t account for is something that you should get checked for.
It doesn’t necessarily have to mean cancer; fibromyalgia or back pain are chronic conditions but not necessarily life-threatening.
Prof Sikora suggested that the NHS could transfer all coronavirus patients in London into the temporary NHS Nightingale hospital, which "is virtually unused nearly three weeks after opening."
This would allow the capital's hospitals to continue cancer treatments.
He also urged the NHS to follow up more rigorously on its pledge to use private hospitals to treat patients with heart disease or cancer.
Just yesterday, Matt Hancock revealed that the NHS is to re-open for routine care as the UK has passed through the peak of the coronavirus crisis.
The Health Secretary insisted Brits must seek medical attention if they need it after it emerged people could be losing out with medics focused on treating those with the killer bug.
Routine care available
Mr Hancock said: "We want to reopen the NHS to people with non coronavirus symptoms and patients with non-corona conditions safely and carefully, as soon as its able to do so.
"They should come forward.
"If you think you might have a lump that might be a cancer, you should come forward now you will be safely and carefully treated in the NHS."
It comes after new research found that the efforts to tackle Covid-19 are "significantly affecting" the treatment and care of cancer patients.
The findings, published in the European Journal of Cancer, highlights how the repurposing of health systems and social distancing measures have had negative effects on those with cancer.
There have also been delays in urgent referrals and patients having their cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy, postponed, or surgery being delayed.
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Queen's University's Professor Mark Lawler said there is a risk of a future cancer epidemic.
"We are already seeing the indirect effects of the Covid-19 crisis on cancer care," he said.
";Urgent referral numbers are dropping, endoscopies and other surgical procedures are being postponed and many cancer specialists are being redirected to Covid-19 specific care.
"If we don't act, we risk the unintended consequence of the current Covid-19 pandemic precipitating a future cancer epidemic."
Leading cancer charities also say they have seen a dramatic rise in calls from cancer patients concerned about delays to their treatment amid the pandemic.
We risk the Covid-19 pandemic precipitating a future cancer epidemic
Professor Mark Lawler
Just last week, Macmillan Cancer revealed around one in three calls to their helpline were from cancer patients concerned about coronavirus and its impact on their treatment.
Breast Cancer Now say they have seen a a 60 per cent increase in enquiries last month compared to March 2019 - with patients concerned about Covid-19 and breast cancer.
And more than 50 per cent of enquiries to its specialist nurses for support in the last month have been about the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
Meanwhile, Prostate Cancer UK said Covid-19 related calls made up at least 36 per cent of all calls to its specialist nurses since the lockdown was announced in mid-March.
The majority of these were from men who were concerned about their risk of contracting Covid-19 and the need to self-isolate.
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More on coronavirus
Cancer Research UK is urging concerned cancer patients to contact their specialist cancer team for more information.
A spokesperson for the NHS said: “NHS staff are working around the clock to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, while at the same time ensuring that essential and urgent cancer diagnosis, treatment and care can continue.
"If you have a cancer symptom, you should still contact your GP and be referred for further checks as normal.”
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