International study highlights WA resilience in maintaining cancer diagnoses during COVID19
A major international study co-authored by Medical Oncologist and Cancer Network WA Medical Adviser Dr David Ransom has highlighted Western Australia's resilience in maintaining cancer diagnoses during COVID-19.
Dr Ransom said that the lower decline of cancer diagnoses compared to other high income countries during COVID-19 did not surprise him.
"By world standards, WA has a very good health system and only had a short period of lockdown compared to other jurisdictions," he said.
“While some disruption was experienced in Western Australia, the findings show the State’s health system was able to maintain access to cancer diagnosis services more effectively than many international jurisdictions during the pandemic."
This study analysed more than 2.5 million cancer cases across Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom between 2015 and 2020.
The focus of the paper was to examine the impact of COVID on cancer diagnoses in the first year of the pandemic and the study found the biggest declines in cancer diagnoses occurred in the United Kingdom, Ireland and parts of Canada, while Australia, New Zealand, Denmark and Norway generally recovered more quickly.
Western Australia maintained particularly strong prostate and breast cancer diagnosis rates compared with many overseas jurisdictions.
“These findings reinforce the importance of resilient health systems and maintaining access to cancer screening, primary care and diagnostic services, particularly during periods of major disruption," David said.