'Open for business': Message to cancer patients after drop in chemotherapy appointments

Thousands of people newly diagnosed with cancer could die within a year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a study from University College London.

Researchers have warned about a drop in GP referrals and a decrease in chemotherapy appointments.

Among the patients being treated is Beth Purvis. She had stage 4 bowel cancer and thought it had gone away only for something to reappear in her lung in January.

Chemotherapy appointments have fallen 60 per cent since the lockdown.

• Research by University College London and Data-Can found an extra 6,270 newly diagnosed cancer patients could die this year because of the crisis

• When you add in those already living with cancer that number of additional deaths rises to 17,915

The Royal Marsden is coordinating one of London’s new cancer hubs.

They’re not yet completely free of Covid-19 but are changing the way they work to limit infection.

Beth Purvis has been offered a less intrusive alternative to surgery called Cyber-Knife which she usually would not have been eligible for.