August 19, 2026
You might wonder how big a problem delays represent. A study from the University of Illinois at Chicago used an online questionnaire of 609 breast cancer survivors. The survey identified the type of delayed care (chemotherapy, radiation therapy, cancer surgery, hormonal treatment, or routine follow-up appointments). It also asked for the stage of cancer. Here’s what they discovered: Nearly half of patients had a delay in care in the early weeks of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we cancer doctors must decide whether to delay treatment or proceed despite increased risk for infection with the novel coronavirus.
The Covid-19 pandemic has overwhelmed the healthcare systems of many places across the globe. The viral scourge has resulted in some delays for cancer screening and management. In the Seattle area, we put screening mammograms on hold for months, and many individuals had elective surgeries delayed. Even for those who had cancer, coming in for treatment involved an assessment virus risk versus the risk of delay-associated poorer outcomes for their disease.
Historically, I did not have useful data to inform what I tell my patients. What is the additional long-term risk of delaying cancer treatment for months? Fortunately, researchers at the University of Michigan (USA) have developed a free, web-based application to answer such questions.
