NOTE: By submitting this form and registering with us, you are providing us with permission to store your personal data and the record of your registration. In addition, registration with Irish Pharmacist includes granting consent for the delivery of that additional professional content and targeted ads, and the cookies required to deliver same. View our Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice for further details.

ADVERTISMENT

ADVERTISMENT

Serious Concern Over Drop In Cancer Detections: Irish Cancer Society

By Irish Pharmacist - 04th Jan 2023

Unrecognizable nurse taking a mammogram exam to an adult patient at the hospital

While the recent report from the National Cancer Registry Ireland (NCRI) brings welcome good news on increasing survival rates, serious concern remains over the number of cancers not detected due to the pandemic, said the Irish Cancer Society.

CEO Ms Averil Power said: “We are heartened to see that the number of cancer survivors in Ireland has officially passed 200,000 for the first time, and this is testament to the huge effort put into improving cancer care and treatment over recent decades.

“However, it is of real concern that some 2,500 cancers expected to be detected in 2020 were not, due to disruption caused by the pandemic.

“Although not surprising, it is concerning to see sucha drop in detected versus expected cases for screened cancers, including colorectal (18 per cent less than expected), cervical (31 per cent less than expected) and breast (23 per cent less than expected) cancers.

  “The NCRI figures published… do not include cancers that may not have been detected during health service disruption during 2021.

  “Delayed diagnoses cost lives. Continued focus and resourcing is needed to deliver sufficient diagnostic and treatment capacity to clear the Covid backlog and ensure all cancers are being picked up at an early stage when they are easier to treat. Funding services and recruiting a full cancer workforce is critical to ensuring survival rates don’t go backwards.

“The fact we are only now seeing official data from the first year of the pandemic in 2020 also highlights a major gap in our health services. Proper planning, and indeed effective crisis management, requires timely and up-to-date information. Ireland is years behind other countries on that front and it is something that must be addressed as a priority,” concluded Ms Power.

ADVERTISMENT

Latest

ADVERTISMENT

ADVERTISMENT

ADVERTISMENT

Latest Issue

Irish Pharmacist December 2024

Irish Pharmacist December 2024

Read

OTC Autumn 2024

In this issue of OTC Update we focus on hydration, hair care, sports injuries, fatigue, and menopause…

Read

ADVERTISMENT

ADVERTISMENT

ADVERTISMENT

ADVERTISMENT