The pandemic this spring affected not only the health care of those who became ill due to the virus, but also the care as a whole.
In addition, many people did not seek care to the same extent as before, which has meant that the number of newly discovered cancer cases has decreased drastically.
This is especially clear in Stockholm, which was the region hardest hit by the virus.
Between April and July, 1,383 fewer cancer cases were registered, compared with the years 2016–2019.
This corresponds to a 25% reduction.
- The most probable explanation is the pandemic, says Ralf Segersvärd, surgeon and business developer at the Stockholm / Gotland Regional Cancer Center.
Screening program paused
The pandemic meant, among other things, that the regions pressed the pause button for various screening programs.
In Stockholm, this meant that three programs were canceled or reduced: mammography for breast cancer, cell sampling for cervical cancer, stool samples for colorectal cancer.
In addition, people did not seek care to the same extent as before and those who were called for screening did not come to the same extent as before.
- Some were probably worried about the spread of infection, while others may not want to be a nuisance.
Regardless, fewer patients have applied, not only for direct cancer symptoms, but also for visits for other reasons where suspected problems could have been detected, says Ralf Segersvärd.
During the period March to August, the number of cancer diagnoses made at the laboratory for clinical pathology / cytology at Karolinska University Hospital in Huddinge decreased by 31 percent.
The graphic shows the pandemic's impact on the number of diagnoses.
All in all, this has resulted in almost all types of cancer diagnoses declining sharply in the spring.
For example, the number of new cases of breast cancer in Stockholm decreased by 36 percent between April and July, while prostate cancer increased by 34 percent.