In 2020, lung cancer was the second most common cancer diagnosis across the globe, with 2.2 million new cases (equivalent to 12.2% of all cancers worldwide) and accounting for 1.8 million deaths. In Ireland, there are approximately 2,700 people diagnosed with lung cancer each year and the disease represents an enormous national health and socioeconomic burden.
On the 11th of March 2020, COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation. COVID-19 has enforced many changes to lung cancer care, affecting the numbers of patients attending for clinic appointments, resulting in delayed access to diagnostics and negatively impacting treatment timelines. Because of the pandemic and the resultant societal lockdowns, clinicians have been forced to adapt how rapid access clinics are run, leading to the development of hybrid models of care, with establishment of virtual clinics, modification of diagnostic pathways and scaling up of surgical and medical and radiation oncology activity at private hospitals in an effort to expedite patient treatments.
For verified healthcare professionals
Log in or register for free to read this article. HPN is for healthcare professionals, so new accounts are verified by our team.
