According to a study by the Gustave Roussy Institute, the health crisis of the coronavirus would lead to a delay in diagnosis and treatment which would increase the risk of death from cancer in the next 5 years.
A study on the increased risk of death from cancer
According to a study conducted by the Institut Gustave Roussy (with Inserm and the University of Paris-Saclay), the health crisis would have increased the risk of dying from cancer in the next 5 years. Appointment delays and delays would lead to a 2% to 5% increase in deaths over the next few years, resulting in between 4,000 and 8,000 deaths in France by 2025. ” During the first wave, the Covid-19 epidemic led to a disruption of care for cancer patients: the therapeutic strategies were adapted, (…) some of the patients did not carry out or delay the screening or diagnostic exams, some have interrupted or postponed current treatments for their cancer »Explain the specialists of the Gustave Roussy Institute. This excess mortality would be even greater with the second wave because ” the 2% were based on optimistic assumptions and in particular the absence of a second wave »According to biostatistician Aurélie Bardet, in charge of the study.
Cancer that grows despite the epidemic
In 2% of patients, there is a deterioration in their condition, a major change in prognosis due to their late arrival. In the long term, the diagnosis may worsen because ” the cancer will have had time to evolve and in some cases, the vital prognosis may be impacted “. In other cases, ” cancer will be more complex, requiring more aggressive treatments, with less chance of a response for patients “. Despite everything, Dr Bardet specifies that this is a statistical forecast which makes it possible to estimate ” the impact of the increase in treatment time on cancer mortality “. Despite the health crisis, it is imperative to continue treatment and not to postpone appointments or care and remain vigilant (self-examination for breast cancer) to guarantee rapid access to care.
