Serious Increase in Cancer Cases Expected After COVID-19

As the COVID-19 virus creates a contagious disease type that causes dangerous health problems in the short term, the health sector and people around the world are focused on the virus rather than many other diseases. But the danger remains cancer diseases such as COVID-19 have been neglected due to fears. Especially people who are worried about going to the hospital may be worried about some possible risks, such as cancer. they did not learn about their diseases and diagnosis could not be made.

Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine Faculty Member and President of the Association of Family Physicians (TAHUD) Prof. Dr. Esra Saatçi, in her presentation titled Pandemic and Chronic Diseases at the 20th National Family Medicine Congress, stated that cancer screenings decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic and therefore in the future. a significant increase in cancer cases He said it could happen.

Death rates increased 12 times

Stating that they expect an increase in cancer cases due to delayed screenings and treatments, Saatçi said, “because we neglected our cancer screenings or delayed. Therefore, unfortunately, a frightening increase awaits us. During the epidemic, the number of patients diagnosed with prostate, breast, colon and lung cancer decreased by 42 percent compared to the average of the past 5 years. There has been a dramatic decrease in cancer diagnoses. In this process, the inability of the patients to reach the hospital sufficiently led to the diagnosis of late stages. Around the world when the pandemic peaks 2 million 324 thousand 69 cancer surgery operations postponed. This situation will affect the health of the patients in the medium and long term, and it will also have an impact on the health economy.‘ he declared.

Compared to healthy individuals who contracted COVID-19 in the first 4 months of the epidemic, patients with diseases such as heart failure and diabetes have a 6-fold increase in hospitalizations and mortality rates. 12 times increase detected. It was determined that physical activities decreased by 40 percent during the pandemic period and that there was an increase in chronic diseases for this reason.