Coronavirus: 60% drop in cancer referrals in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire worries health chiefs

NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has made the call because numbers of patients referred to hospitals from their GP practices as a result of suspected cancer have declined steadily since the outbreak of Covid-19.

Less people contacting their GPs to discuss the potential early signs of cancer could lead to patients being diagnosed at a later stage in the disease. Early diagnosis is crucial in cancer treatment as it drastically improves survival rates for many of the most common cancers.

For example, more than nine in 10 bowel cancer patients will survive the disease for more than five years if they are diagnosed at the earliest stage, and more than 90 per cent of women diagnosed with the earliest stage of breast cancer survive their disease for at least five years compared to around 15 per cent for women diagnosed with the most advanced stage of the disease.

Cancer specialists working for the CCG are concerned that people may not be contacting their GPs to flag early signs of cancer because they are worried about putting additional pressure on the NHS during the Covid-19 outbreak. Some may also be avoiding their GP practice because they are concerned medical appointments at a practice or in a hospital would put them at risk of contracting the virus.

Dr Oliver Stovin, a MacMillan GP and clinical lead for cancer at the CCG, said: “Cancer will not stop because of Covid-19, so it’s important patients don’t stop contacting their GPs about any potential cancer concerns either. Early diagnosis is a vital part of cancer treatment, dramatically improving a patient’s chance of survival.

“All GP practices and hospitals across our area are open for business and they have taken measures to ensure that Covid-19 infection risks are minimised if you need to be seen face-to-face. So please don’t put your health at risk by putting off contacting your GP.”

People who are referred to hospital for suspected cancer by their GP will be assessed by phone or via video in the first instance. They will be offered face-to-face appointments in hospital if necessary.

Hospitals have taken appropriate measures to minimise the risk of transmission of Covid-19, the CCG said.