The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on pancreatic cancer has published a report highlighting the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on pancreatic cancer services across the country, including diagnosis, treatment and care of patients.
The report is based on intelligence gathered from expert clinicians, researchers, people with pancreatic cancer and their families. It is a sober read: already, 3 in 4 people with pancreatic cancer die within a year of diagnosis, but the report predicts an increase in deaths from pancreatic cancer over the past year as the NHS struggled to cope with the burden on staff and resources caused by the pandemic.
Jim Shannon MP, who chairs the APPG on pancreatic cancer, said:
“Dealing with a diagnosis of the deadliest common cancer is difficult enough in normal times, but the past year has added significant new challenges for many. In the best cases, disruption has been minimised, and the main change people have had to endure has been an increased number of virtual appointments – but for the majority, the impact has been far worse. Indeed, in the worst cases, delays to treatment and surgery have meant that people have missed their treatment window, and with it, the chance of survival – leaving them with only end-of-life care options.”
The report contains recommendations that build on lessons learned in the past year, which aim to restore and expand treatment and care of pancreatic cancer patients, and PCRF wholeheartedly supports these recommendations.
Recommendations include:
- That access to diagnosis, surgery and treatment is fully restored as promptly as possible.
- That clinical trials are rapidly restarted for people with pancreatic cancer
- That people with pancreatic cancer are provided with continuous, holistic care and support
- That up-to-date data is collected and published by cancer type, to aid in decision-making and strategic resourcing of services
The full report can be found here: APPG report FINAL