Ireland faces 'cancer epidemic' after 1m cases missed across Europe during Covid

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An estimated one million cancer diagnoses were missed across Europe in the last two years, and a new report suggests the impact of Covid-19 could set back cancer results by almost a decade. 

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Researchers say the pandemic has exposed weaknesses in cancer health systems and in the research landscape across the continent 

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The report sets a target of achieving 70 per cent 10-year survival for all European cancer patients by 2035. 

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Patients treated in research hospitals have better outcomes than those who are not, a new commission from The Lancet Oncology, “European Groundshot—addressing Europe’s cancer research challenges”, reports. 

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it calls for a doubling of the European cancer research budget, as well as prioritisation of underserved cancer research areas, including prevention and early diagnosis, radiotherapy and surgery, action on gender equality, and a deeper focus on survivorship. 

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Richard Sullivan at King’s College London, said: “UK cancer research in the post-Brexit world stands at a crossroads where strategic decisions will determine whether we continue to thrive and partner internationally or whether isolationism will reduce our world standing. 

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chairman and lead author of the commission, said: “With the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, Brexit, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it is more important than ever that Europe develops a resilient cancer research landscape to play a transformative role in improving prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and quality-of-life for current and future patients and those living beyond cancer. 

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He added: “We estimate that approximately one million cancer diagnoses were missed across Europe during the Covid-19 pandemic. “We are in a race against time to find those missing cancer

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“The report sets an ambitious target of achieving 70 per cent 10-year survival for all European cancer patients by 2035. 

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100 million cancer screening tests were missed, and it is estimated that up to one million European citizens might have an undiagnosed cancer due to the backlog, the report published in Lancet Oncology found. 

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