Nearly 12,000 women could be living with undiagnosed breast cancer due to pandemic

One and a half million women have missed breast cancer screening because of the pandemic.

About 12,000 of them are now likely to have undetected breast cancer and could die from it, according to an analysis released yesterday by Breast Cancer Now.

The charity found that a backlog of 1,480,000 women needing mammograms had accumulated since the end of national breast screening in March of last year.

Scanners are offered to women aged 50 to 71 every three years, preventing approximately 1,300 deaths and detecting 19,000 cases per year.

But the service was suspended for four months during the first lockdown, meaning a million fewer women were tested.

Although screening has now resumed, the backlog has increased by half a million.

The service is still operating at a lower capacity due to chronic staff shortages and strict infection control procedures due to the pandemic.

One and a half million women missed breast cancer screening due to pandemic [Stock image]

Baroness Delyth Morgan, of Breast Cancer Now, called for urgent investment in “chronically understaffed imaging and diagnostic workforces” to give women the best chance of survival.

“A year ago, we reported with concern that nearly one million women had potentially missed breast cancer screening due to the suspension of services during the first wave of the pandemic,” Morgan said.

“Unfortunately, despite the hard work of our NHS staff, testing services running at reduced capacity means 1.5 million fewer women have been tested – a staggering 50% increase since the services were restarted.

“Women with breast cancer continue to pay the price due to the impact of the pandemic, and in the worst-case scenario, delayed diagnoses could mean some women are dying from this devastating disease.

“Finding and treating people with undiagnosed breast cancer quickly must be a priority, and UK governments urgently need to ensure there is enough investment to do so – these women don’t have time to wait. “

She said there had to be “an urgent investment in chronically understaffed imaging and diagnostic manpower” to tackle the backlog and help ensure that women with symptoms possible quickly consult a specialist.

“Only then will women receive the best care and have the best chance of survival,” she added.

The analysis comes as the Royal College of Radiologists joined Breast Cancer Now in saying breast imaging and treatment services were “massively underfunded even before the pandemic hit.”

Although screening has now resumed, the backlog has increased by half a million. The service is still operating at a lower capacity due to chronic staff shortages and strict infection control procedures due to the pandemic

He said breast cancer screening teams are now trying to make two years of dating go down to one year.

Dr Jeanette Dickson, President of the Royal College of Radiologists, said: “Breast services, including screening, are working hard to ensure that patients are seen as quickly as possible, and we cannot. not urging people enough: if you have any worrying symptoms, please seek help from your GP. If you have a screening appointment, please make it.

“But breast imaging and treatment services were severely under-resourced even before the pandemic hit.

“Now, scouting teams are trying to squeeze two years of appointments into one to make up for a backlog of millions, while battling long-standing staff shortages and woefully substandard facilities, as well as a job. slower due to Covid restrictions.

“If the government is serious about improving breast cancer outcomes and tackling the backlog, in the short term, it must continue to invest in scanners and computer connectivity, as well as push forward with improvements in services to the breast. neutral point.

“But at the end of the day, we can’t escape the need to invest in people. The NHS needs more imaging and oncology staff to ensure future breast cancer patients receive the care they deserve. ‘

A spokeswoman for NHS England said: ‘The pandemic has inevitably meant that some patient services have been disrupted, which is why the NHS in England is investing over £ 70million in additional funding for screening capacity , so people can get the checks they need.

“Additional clinics on weekends and evenings will help every woman who needs a screen to access it, and the NHS in England has also offered open invitations to get tested, so if you’re invited on an appointment you screening, please introduce yourself and attend. ‘