More Than 134,000 Undiagnosed Cancers Likely During 2020

In a population-based cross-sectional analysis of data reported to the US Cancer Statistics from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2020, found that observed rates of all types of cancer were 28.6% lower than anticipated during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic (March through May 2020) compared with pre-pandemic trends (JAMA Oncol 2024 Feb 22 [Epub ahead of print]). Between June and December 2020, rates were 6.3% lower; overall, the rate was 13% lower. Based on 1,297,874 cancer cases reported between March 1 and December 31, 2020, researchers calculated that approximately 134,395 cancers went undiagnosed during that timeframe.