Cancer deaths may rise in coming years: WHO

World Health Organisation

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a “profound” impact on the diagnosis and treatment of cancer around the world, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.

And breast cancer has now emerged as the leading cause of deaths worldwide among women, according to the UN health agency.

"50 per cent of governments (having) cancer services partially or completely disrupted because of the year-long pandemic", said Andre Ilbawi, an expert of non-communicable diseases’ dept. of WHO, on Tuesday, reports UNB.

"Delays in diagnosis are common. Interruptions in therapy or abandonment have increased significantly," he was quoted by UN News.

And this would likely have an impact in the total number of cancer deaths in coming years, the physician added.

Pressure to deliver

"Healthcare professionals have been under great stress to deliver services and there are significant reductions in research and clinical trial enrolment. To state it simply, the consequences of the pandemic on cancer control efforts have been profound," Ilbawi said.

Amid uncertainty over which COVID-19 vaccine might be the most suitable for cancer patients, given the increased vulnerability of some individuals, Ilbawi said that "data from ongoing clinical vaccine trials is yet to be published".

"We do appreciate that cancer patients are being noted in these clinical trials because evidence has shown that cancer patients are at greater risk for COVID-related morbidity and mortality because of their immuno-suppression," he said.