Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Services: Covid-19

Elliot Colburn emphasised the importance of ensuring breast cancer services continue without pausing during the second national lockdown. He noted that around 8,600 women could be living with undetected breast cancer due to delayed screening and called for a plan to address the backlog.

The hon. Gentleman highlighted that older women with breast cancer were not prioritised for radiotherapy during the past six months, urging the Minister to persuade NHS England to publish data on this issue. Mr Morris highlighted the impact of the pandemic on breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, citing a backlog of over 100,000 patients with an estimated 50,000 missing diagnoses for cancer. He also noted that fewer women started treatment in May and June compared to previous years, emphasizing the need for solutions and investment to address this issue.

She paid tribute to NHS staff for their hard work during the pandemic, highlighting the challenges posed by a decade of austerity. She mentioned that more than 50,000 women and approximately 400 men receive breast cancer diagnoses each year in the UK. Hayes noted the drop in reported cases due to the pandemic, with Breast Cancer Now estimating over 100,000 fewer referrals for breast cancer. She expressed concerns about delayed diagnosis and unacceptable waiting times for treatment, emphasizing the need for a proactive programme to address inequalities in access to screening and treatment.

The lockdown has resulted in a significant decrease in urgent cancer referrals, with NHS figures showing a 60% drop compared to the same period last year. Breast Cancer Now reported that almost 1 million women missed breast cancer screenings due to the pandemic. The MP highlighted concerns about delays in treatment and their potential impact on patient outcomes, citing a warning from the Health Data Research hub for cancer of an additional 18,000 deaths of people with cancer as a result of the pandemic.

Welcomed the debate and discussed breast cancer statistics in Northern Ireland, highlighting higher mortality rates. Raised concerns about disruptions to clinical trials due to the pandemic, noting that recruitment was paused for 50% of supported trials. Emphasised the importance of learning from rapid coronavirus trial setups and applying similar methods to breast cancer research.

Acknowledged contributions from colleagues, highlighted the importance of a cancer recovery plan to address health inequalities, raised concerns about the backlog in diagnoses due to the pandemic, discussed the impact of reduced screening referrals and capacity issues, mentioned concerns over open invitations for mammogram screenings, and called for better support and access to clinical nurse specialists.

Mr Mullan highlighted the NHS's success in managing the pandemic without becoming overwhelmed. He noted a significant drop-off in patient attendance during lockdowns, suggesting that undetected serious conditions like heart attacks and strokes may have occurred due to people avoiding hospitals. He mentioned Breast Cancer Now's estimate that almost 1 million women missed out on mammograms when screening was paused, potentially affecting around 8,600 women with undetected breast cancer.

Hanvey highlighted the impact of the pandemic on breast cancer services, noting that one million women have missed their screenings. He emphasised the importance of early diagnosis and the challenges posed by a shortage of radiologists and clinical oncologists. The MP also called for significant investment in diagnostics, treatment, recruitment, and training to address the post-pandemic recovery.

Mr Largan expressed concern about a decision by NHS Midlands to withdraw mobile breast cancer screening units from towns in his High Peak constituency. He highlighted issues of accessibility due to poor winter road conditions and the lack of public transport, urging for the reinstatement of these mobile services.

The MP expressed concern about the uptake of breast cancer screening in his constituency, noting it is below the national average at only 65.3% with 152 people developing breast cancer annually per 10,000 residents. He called for additional funding to increase workforce and facilities, particularly clinical nurse specialists supporting those with incurable secondary breast cancer.

Stephanie Peacock highlighted the need for a cancer recovery plan to address the backlog in breast cancer screening tests and get treatments back on track. She pointed out that nearly 10,000 women are waiting for breast cancer screenings in Barnsley alone due to staffing pressures and retirement of specialists.

Mr Brine expressed concern about the loss of around 11,500 women per year to breast cancer in the UK over the past decade. He highlighted that approximately 370 men are diagnosed with breast cancer annually. During the pandemic, patients faced treatment delays and reduced contact with clinical nurse specialists, impacting their emotional well-being. Local screening programmes were suspended for up to 17 weeks due to lockdown measures.