都市封鎖中にがん診断数が半減、診断の遅れを警告　米調査

【ワシントンＡＦＰ＝時事】米国では新型コロナウイルス対策のロックダウン（都市封鎖）の影響で、3～4月の1週間あたりのがん診断数がそれ以前の平均値からほぼ半減していたとする調査結果が、4日に医学専門誌「JAMA　Network　Open」に発表された。（写真は資料写真）
　この調査では、乳がん、大腸がん、肺がん、膵臓（すいぞう）がん、胃がん、食道がんの６種を対象とし、２０１９年１月～２０２０年２月における６種の１週間あたりの平均診断数を基準値に設定した。
　調査の結果、新型コロナウイルスの大流行の間に「１週間あたりのがん６種の合計診断数は４６．４％（新規がん患者数は４３１０人から２３１０人に）減少し、６種すべてにおいて（診断数が）著しく減少した」ことが分かった。
　乳がんでその傾向は著しく、診断数は５１．８％減少した。
　米診断情報サービス企業のクエスト・ダイアグノスティクスの執筆者らは、「住民がソーシャル・ディスタンシング（対人距離の確保）を守っても、がんの進行は止まらない」とした上で、「診断の遅れは、より進行した状態での発見や、より好ましくない臨床転帰を招いてしまう」と指摘した。
　また調査報告書は査読前の別の論文の推定を引用して、米国では診断の遅れによって約３万４０００人ががんで超過死亡する恐れがあると警告した。
　オランダでは、がんと診断される人の数が１週間あたり最大４０％減少していて、英国でも新型コロナウイルス関連の移動制限が施行されて以降、がんが疑われる患者の紹介数が７５％減少した。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/08/06-13:23）

The number of cancers diagnosed weekly in the United States fell by almost fifty percent during March and April compared to the recent average, a study said Tuesday, the latest to examine the impacts of COVID-19 lockdowns.
Emergency room visits additionally appear to have dropped for heart attacks, strokes and even appendicitis -- trends that are being confirmed through ongoing studies.
Child vaccinations have also stalled globally, according to the UN, and world health bodies are alarmed by the impact on the fight against HIV, malaria and tuberculosis as screening campaigns, logistics and access to health care have been disrupted.
The new analysis, published in JAMA Network Open, established a baseline period from January 2019 to February 2020 to determine the average weekly number of cancers diagnosed by six types: breast, colorectal, lung, pancreatic, gastric and esophageal.
During the pandemic, the weekly number fell 46.4% (from 4,310 to 2,310) for the 6 cancers combined, with significant declines in all cancer types, the authors found.
The drop was particularly stark for breast cancer, with diagnoses rates falling 51.8 percent.
While residents have taken to social distancing, cancer does not pause, wrote the authors, from Quest Diagnostics, a laboratory company.
The delay in diagnosis will likely lead to presentation at more advanced stages and poorer clinical outcomes.
They also cited a new estimate from another study, which has not yet been peer reviewed, that estimates that the delays will cause some 34,000 excess cancer deaths in the United States.
The Netherlands has seen as much as a 40 percent decline in weekly cancer incidence, and the United Kingdom has experienced a 75 percent decline in referrals for suspected cancer since restrictions were put in place.
More recently, we are seeing some signs that screening rates are recovering some, added Laura Makaroff of the American Cancer Society, who was not involved in the study.
The local impact of COVID is still highly variable across the country so it is important to talk with your health care provider about which screening tests are right for you and how to re-engage in screening in a safe way.