AACR report: COVID-19 created barriers to cancer screening and care, but accelerated research and telemedicine

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on email
Share on print

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted cancer screening and treatment and exacerbated health disparities, but also created unexpected opportunities in cancer research and care, a recent report from the American Association for Cancer Research states. 

The AACR Report on the Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer Research and Patient Care addresses the challenges presented by COVID-19, while noting that the pandemic has fueled scientific research and promoted the use of telemedicine.

“I think this report stresses that investment by the National Institute of Health and the National Cancer Institute in knowledge and science reverts into benefits to society. I think that’s the biggest call to action,” Antoni Ribas, AACR past president and chair of the AACR COVID-19 and Cancer Task Force and Report Steering Committee, said to The Cancer Letter. 

To access this subscriber-only content please log in or subscribe.

If your institution has a site license, log in with IP-login or register for a sponsored account.*
*Not all site licenses are enrolled in sponsored accounts.

Login Subscribe
Alice Tracey
Alice Tracey
Reporter
Table of Contents

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN

Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health to defend the HHS fiscal year 2026 budget proposal, and faced criticism from several Democratic lawmakers on what they described as a lack of transparency and scientific rigor in the agency’s recent decisions.

The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine has devastated the Ukrainian healthcare infrastructure, disrupting cancer care, halting clinical trials, and compounding long-standing systemic challenges.  Even before the war, Ukraine’s oncology system faced major constraints: Limited access to radiotherapy equipment, outdated chemotherapy supply chains, and workforce shortages. The invasion intensified these issues—cancer hospitals were damaged, warehouses destroyed,...

Patients affected by cancer are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence-powered chatbots, such as ChatGPT and Gemini, for answers to pressing health questions. These tools, available around the clock and free from geographic or scheduling constraints, are appealing when access to medical professionals is limited by financial, language, logistical, or emotional barriers. 
Alice Tracey
Alice Tracey
Reporter

Never miss an issue!

Get alerts for our award-winning coverage in your inbox.

Login