COVID19 can increase cancer deaths

By George N. True II

COVID-19 is making it difficult for cancer patients to get proper diagnosis and treatment, and this can be fatal to people who have the disease.

This was revealed by a coalition of leading Asian oncologists in partnership with AstraZeneca that called on patients to access cancer services without delay to prevent further deaths and reduce the impact of COVID-19 on cancer services across the region.

The call was made by experts from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore during the “New Normal, Same Cancer” virtual press briefing held recently. They revealed that there has been a significant drop in the number of patients accessing cancer services in Asia.  This is detrimental to patients since they won’t receive the required treatment, thereby reducing their chance of recovery.

Disrupted cancer services

Although the long-term impact of the pandemic on cancer patients is unknown, the former has disrupted many services for these people in Asia over the last year, as well as cancer screening in some countries.

Even where services were maintained, some patients are delaying appointments, treatment, and follow up sessions for fear of contracting the virus. In the Philippines, for example, a survey found that fear and anxiety brought about by worries of acquiring the virus affected the health-seeking behavior of people with cancer, even those who have yet to be diagnosed.

In Singapore, there was a 9% drop in first visit consultations and a 30% drop in follow up consultations at the National University Cancer Institute between February and March 2020, although these numbers have recovered. And in a survey of 480 oncosurgeons across India, an estimated 92,000 patients are likely to experience delays in the timely diagnosis of cancer.

Increased risk of death

Doctors pointed out that a one month delay in treatment can result in a 6% increase in the risk of death. They urged patients to resume treatment that may have been paused during the pandemic and said that people with possible cancer signs and symptoms should consult a physician at the earliest possible time.

“Timely diagnosis and treatment are critical factors to determine the success of cancer treatment. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to healthcare systems across Asia, including cancer services. As countries enter a ‘new normal’, we strongly urge cancer patients to access the right services without delay to give any treatment the best chances of success,” the experts said in a joint statement.

“People are understandably more cautious about visiting hospitals and clinics at this time but avoidable delays in diagnosis or treatment can result in the cancer being harder to treat and worse outcomes for patients,” added Fong Pei-Chieh, medical director of AstraZeneca, Asia Area.

Novel solutions

To help protect people attending cancer clinics, many healthcare facilities have already adapted their practices and put in novel solutions to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission. For many countries, telehealth has become an important part of patient services, allowing healthcare professionals such as oncologists to check their patients and carry out remote screening without the need for the latter to leave home.

To overcome barriers that limit early lung cancer detection, AstraZeneca has partnered with Qure.ai through its Emerging Markets Health Innovation Hubs program. The partnership aims to develop deep learning algorithms to interpret radiology images and integrate innovative artificial intelligence solutions for the early detection of lung cancer.

The program will cover patients across AstraZeneca’s Emerging Markets region that includes the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand in 2020, and India, Indonesia, and Vietnam next year. AstraZeneca has also partnered with Hi-Precision in the Philippines for this purpose.

Global cause of death

Globally, cancer remains a leading cause of death, and is responsible for an estimated 9.6 million deaths in 2018, according to the World Health Organization. One in six deaths worldwide is due to cancer, but the worst part is about 70% of deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries like the Philippines.

The Philippine Statistics Authority said one out of every 10 deaths in the country is caused by cancer. A study made by the University of the Philippines’ Institute of Human Genetics, National Institutes of Health. – Department of Health showed that 189 of every 100,000 Filipinos have the disease. It added that four Filipinos die of cancer every hour while 96 patients succumb daily to the disease.

For questions, email georgenavatrue@yahoo.com.