Wales’ Remarkable New Cancer Figures That Show One Thing The Pandemic Taught Us
When the coronavirus pandemic began in 2020, it disrupted normal business operations, impacting NHS services as attention shifted to the emergency at hand. People also became hesitant to visit doctors, fearing exposure to the virus and not wanting to burden healthcare workers. By 2021, the consequences of this were evident as Wales saw a 10.2% increase in new cancer cases compared to 2020, with 19,625 cases diagnosed that year, according to Public Health Wales.
Even in 2021, the number of cases detected remained lower than in 2018-2019. While healthcare screenings and appointments resumed, the levels of cancer identification did not return to pre-pandemic rates. However, there were positive signs for bowel and female breast cancer, with increases of 9.4% and 5.5%, respectively, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Screening programmes for these cancers were reinstated in August 2020.
In contrast, lung cancer diagnoses in 2021 lagged 3.9% below pre-pandemic levels, and prostate cancer cases decreased by 20.4% compared to 2018-2019. Public Health Wales noted that symptoms commonly lead to the detection of lung cancer, which could explain the delay in identifying cases compared to cancers with screening programmes.
Professor Dyfed Wyn Huws from Public Health Wales emphasized the importance of early detection in improving patient outcomes and highlighted the need for ongoing efforts to restore cancer detection rates across all types. The data is not indicative of a rise in cancer cases, but rather illustrates the effectiveness of screening programmes and awareness campaigns.
Concerns have grown over cancer waiting times in Wales, with only 55% of diagnosed individuals starting treatment within the targeted 62-day window. The aim is for 75% to receive treatment within this timeframe, a target that has not yet been met and is set to increase to 80% by 2026. Recent data shows a decline in meeting the 62-day target since the pandemic recovery began, with figures hovering around 50-60%.
The impact of delayed screenings and treatments underscores the importance of timely healthcare intervention. Although challenges persist, the progress in cancer detection rates is a positive outcome of increased awareness and screening efforts, ultimately leading to better health outcomes for patients.