Project #27:
The effect of COVID-19 on pancreatic cancer diagnosis and care.

Pancreatic cancer is relatively rare (10,000 new cases per year) and a difficult cancer to diagnose early. Due to the difficulty in early diagnosis it has a high mortality rate, with 90% of people dying within a year from diagnosis.

It is therefore possible that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in delayed diagnoses and worse outcomes in pancreatic cancer care.

In this service evaluation we will investigate if there was any detrimental effect of COVID-19 on pancreatic cancer including stage at diagnosis (are people diagnosed at more advanced stages), and the mechanisms that lead to diagnosis and healthcare provided.

This information may help to identify where services require more support as well as assist government and policymakers plan for future lockdowns and pandemics.