Research continues to uncover the significant ways in which COVID-19 has disrupted cancer care, with new findings showing colorectal cancer surgeries fell 17.3% in the first year of the pandemic.
Given rising rates of colon cancer among younger adults, the number of surgeries expected would have remained stable or increased under normal circumstances, according to researchers whose findings were published March 25 in the Journal of American College of Surgeons. Their retrospective analysis of 105,517 patients with colorectal cancer found an overall decline of 17.3% when comparing the number of surgeries performed in 2020 to those in 2019.
Additionally, colon cancer patients who did undergo surgery in 2020 were more likely to have advanced stages of disease.
"With this study, we found that approximately 10,000 fewer patients did not have surgery for colorectal cancer in 2020 compared to 2019," David Larson, MD, senior study author and professor of surgery in the division of colon and rectal surgery at Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic, said in a news release, calling it a "profound decrease."
Experts linked the findings to a range of pandemic-related disruptions, including a decrease in the number of screenings and delays in colonoscopies.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has left a significant and enduring imprint on colorectal cancer surgery, intensifying the challenges faced by patients and healthcare systems," the study said. "Comprehensive studies are imperative to comprehend the long-term consequences of delayed screenings, diagnoses, and treatments, as healthcare planning for the future must consider the unintended repercussions of pandemic-related disruptions."
Read more about colon cancer trends here.