Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

2628. To ask the Minister for Health if her Department has conducted any analysis to determine the number of cancer diagnosis delayed as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41116/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NCRI) has a statutory obligation to collate information in relation to national cancer incidence across all tumour types. This information will typically only be made available 2 to 3 years after the year of incidence, in keeping with international standards.

In June 2023 the NCRI published a preliminary report on the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on cancer incidence in Ireland which is available on their website here: www.ncri.ie/en/reports-publications/reports/covid-19-impact-on-cancer-incidence-in-ireland-in-2021-a-preliminary.

In the NCRI's 2023 and 2024 Annual Reports there is further information under the sections, "COVID-19 impacts on cancer case numbers diagnosed":

- www.ncri.ie/en/reports-publications/reports/cancer-in-ireland-1994-2021-annual-statistical-report-of-the-national.

- www.ncri.ie/en/reports-publications/reports/cancer-in-ireland-1994-2022-annual-statistical-report-of-the-national.

The NCRI, in their reporting, note that while it is difficult to estimate delayed diagnosis, it is possible to look at the difference between the number of cancers registered compared to what was expected. The most recent published estimates for shortfalls in all invasive cancers excluding Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer (NMSC), are as follows:

• shortfall in 2020 was -10% (lower than the expected range).
• shortfall in 2021 was -4% (lower than the expected range).
• shortfall in 2022 was -2% (but within the expected range).