This report includes data up to December 2022. Overall, these data show similar patterns to that seen in the previous COVID-19 and Cancer Services report (data up to September 2022).

Cancer registrations for 2022 were increased compared to pre-pandemic years (2018/19), including for Māori, however when comparing 2022 to 2021, there was a small decrease in registrations of 3% for Māori.

Gastrointestinal endoscopy volumes were increased in 2022 compared to 2018/19. Bronchoscopy and CT lung biopsy volumes were both decreased in 2022 compared with 2018/19, noting that there are other modes of diagnosis that may be being used during the pandemic.

For the four cancer surgeries included in the report (mastectomy, colorectal cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer surgeries), there was a small 2% decrease for 2022 compared with 2018/19, however with an increase of 5% for Māori. The previous report included a focus section on lung cancer for Māori and this report shows that for lung cancer there was a 5% increase in lung cancer surgery with a 12% decrease for Māori (noting small numbers).

Overall, for medical oncology, radiation oncology and haematology, it appears that the differences compared to 2018/19 are slightly less pronounced compared to the winter months of 2022. For medical oncology in 2022 there were increases in first specialist assessments (FSAs) and for attendances for IV chemotherapy when compared with 2018/19 although a small decrease in IV chemotherapy attendances when compared to 2021.

For radiation oncology in 2022 there was an increase in FSAs including for Māori. There was a small decrease of 1% in completed radiation courses, which is likely to better reflect service volume over time compared to radiation therapy attendances. For haematology in 2022 there was a 1% decrease in FSAs overall and for Māori a 9% increase. For IV chemotherapy attendances for haematology there was a 5% increase compared to 2018/19, although a 5% decrease compared with 2021.

These results support the premise that cancer care staff are working diligently to ensure the continuation of cancer care in Aotearoa New Zealand. Te Aho o Te Kahu continues to work with the sector toward constant improvement in service delivery and will monitor and investigate downturns in this delivery, with a particular focus on equity. Te Aho o Te Kahu is reviewing the utility of ongoing reporting.

COVID-19 and Cancer Services Report to end December (Word 6MB)

COVID-19 and Cancer Services Report to end December (PDF 5MB)

This is the fifth report to include data from the Omicron outbreak and covers the period up to September 2022, except for cancer registration data which were available up to August 2022.

Cancer registrations until August 2022 show an 8% increase overall compared with the average of 2018/19 (ie, pre-COVID-19). For Māori there was an 7% increase in registrations over this time.

Overall, for 2022 to date there were 3% fewer cancer surgeries performed compared to the average of 2018/19, due to lower volumes of colorectal cancer and breast cancer surgeries. For Māori, there has been a 5% increase in combined cancer surgeries for the year to date relative to 2018/19.

The proportion of Māori lung cancer surgery was down 16% relative to 2018/19 (15 fewer surgeries), however this has improved compared to the 25% seen in the previous report. We will continue to monitor this.

There was evidence of some downturn in delivery of some services, particularly during July. There are some signs of improvement in this report (particularly August and September), however we acknowledge the ongoing pressures on the cancer care system. The trend back towards pre-pandemic levels reinforces that cancer care staff are working extremely hard to ensure the continuation of cancer care.

We continue to work with the sector, monitor and investigate downturns in service delivery. While we are pleased to see services have largely continued, we acknowledge whānau with cancer may have been impacted in significant ways, including by changes to the way care has been delivered.

COVID-19 and Cancer Services Report to end September 2022 (Word 5MB)

COVID-19 and Cancer Services Report to end September 2022 (PDF 5MB)

This is the fourth report to include data from the Omicron outbreak and covers the period up to June 2022, except for cancer registration data which were available up to May 2022.

Cancer registrations show a 9% increase overall compared with the average of May 2018/19 (ie, pre-COVID-19). For Māori there was an 8% increase in registrations over this time. Overall, for 2022 to date there were 4% fewer cancer surgeries performed compared to the average of 2018/19, due to lower volumes of colorectal cancer and breast cancer surgeries. For Māori, there has been a 3% increase in combined cancer surgeries for the year to date relative to 2018/19 however, the proportion of Māori lung cancer surgery in particular was down by 25% for the year to date relative to 2018/19 (16 fewer surgeries).

For 2022 to date, medical oncology first specialist assessments (FSAs) increased by 2% compared to the same period in 2018/19 and IV chemotherapy increased by 10%. Radiation oncology FSAs increased by 6% for 2022 to date compared to 2018/19; however, radiation therapy attendances and completed radiation therapy courses both decreased by 11% compared to 2018/19. For haematology, there was a 5% decrease in FSAs for 2022 to date, and an increase of 13% for IV chemotherapy attendances compared with 2018/19.

Overall, there is evidence of some downturns in delivery of some services, and these downturns are likely to be the result of the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on the normal delivery of care, with the added impact of other illnesses such as influenza. Te Aho o Te Kahu acknowledges the ongoing pressures on the cancer care system at this time, in particular on the cancer workforce due to staff illness and capacity issues as a result of COVID-19 and other illnesses. That this reporting shows many comparable results to the pre-pandemic period suggests that cancer care staff are working diligently to ensure the continuation of cancer care in Aotearoa New Zealand. Te Aho o Te Kahu continues to work with the sector and will monitor and further investigate downturns in service delivery, with particularly focus on evidence on inequity (such as lung cancer surgery for Māori).

COVID-19 and Cancer Services Report to end June 2022 (Word 5MB)

COVID-19 and Cancer Services Report to end June 2022 (PDF 5MB)

This is the third report to include data from the Omicron outbreak and covers the period up to April 2022.

Cancer registrations data show a small decrease in April 2022 compared to the same month in 2018/19, however, 2022 to date has seen a 4% increase in cancer registrations compared to 2018/19.

There was a decrease in cancer surgeries in April 2022 for the whole population compared with 2018/19. While there was a larger decrease for Māori cancer surgeries in April 2022, this was not reflected in cumulative 2022 data. Medical oncology first specialist assessments and IV chemotherapy in the year to date were the same or increased compared to the same period in 2018/19. Radiation oncology first specialist appointments and radiation therapy attendances were lower in April 2022 compared with 2018/19. Haematology first specialist assessments were lower in the year to date relative to the same time period in 2018/19, however there was an increase in the provision of IV chemotherapy for haematology compared with 2018/19.

Overall, the impact of the COVID-19 Omicron community outbreak on cancer services in 2022 does not appear to be as substantial as that seen during the initial outbreak and lockdown in 2020. Te Aho o Te Kahu continues to work with the sector and will monitor and further investigate as necessary.

COVID-19 and Cancer Services Report to end April 2022 (Word 4MB)

COVID-19 and Cancer Services Report to end April 2022 (PDF 4MB)

This is the second report to include data from the Omicron outbreak, and covers the period up to March 2022. For this report, March 2022 data is compared with March 2018/19. In contrast to earlier in 2022, cancer registration data for March show an increase across all ethnicities compared to 2018/19. There was a decrease in cancer surgeries in March 2022 compared with 2018/19, however this decrease was less pronounced than was observed earlier in 2022. There were increases in the provision of medical oncology treatment in March 2022 compared with March 2018/19. The decrease in first specialist assessments for haematology in January 2022 compared with January 2018/19 has resolved in March for the total population, but requires further monitoring for Māori. There were small decreases for radiation oncology attendances which will continue to be monitored. Overall, the impact of the COVID-19 Omicron community outbreak on cancer services in 2022 is not as substantial as that seen during the initial outbreak and lockdown in 2020. Te Aho o Te Kahu continues to work with the sector and will monitor and further investigate as necessary.

COVID-19 and Cancer Services Report to end March 2022 (Word 4MB)

COVID-19 and Cancer Services Report to end March 2022 (PDF 4MB)

This is the first report to include data from the Omicron outbreak and covers up to February 2022. Cancer services have been disrupted during the January and February period nationally. In January there was a lower number of registrations nationally and in February there was a higher number of registrations nationally. For Māori there were 16% fewer registrations in January and 17% fewer registrations in February 2022 compared with February 2021. The impact is not as substantial as that seen during the initial lockdown and outbreak in 2020, particularly during the month of April 2020, however these data are of concern. Te Aho o Te Kahu is returning to monthly monitoring and continues to work with the sector to ensure there is rapid recovery.

COVID-19 and Cancer Services Report to end February (Word 5MB)

COVID-19 and Cancer Services Report to end February (PDF 4MB)

Overall, publicly funded cancer treatment services continued during the COVID-19 Delta outbreak beginning in August 2021. The dip in cancer registrations seen during August 2021 has resolved, with similar or higher numbers of cancer registrations seen in 2021 compared to previous years. The disruption to gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures seen August/September in the Auckland region has resolved. There has been some disruption to bronchoscopy procedures, not limited to Auckland. Te Aho o Te Kahu is following up on several items, including the disruption to bronchoscopy procedures. The overall impact of COVID-19 on cancer diagnoses in 2021 is considerably smaller than the disruption seen in April and May 2020.

COVID-19 and Cancer Services Report to end December (Word 5MB)

COVID-19 and Cancer Services Report to end December (PDF 5MB)

This report found that the dip in cancer registrations seen during August 2021 has resolved. There was some nationwide disruption to bronchoscopy procedures which Te Aho o Te Kahu is currently looking into. Publicly funded cancer treatment – including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy – continued across the Auckland region from August to October 2021. The disruption to gastrointestinal endoscopy procedures identified in previous reports for the Auckland region has resolved. For the year to date, attendances for radiation oncology first specialist appointments have increased. Radiation therapy volumes in the Auckland region follow a similar pattern to that seen across New Zealand, with an overall decrease in volumes, likely due to the use of hypofractionation where cancers are treated over a shorter time period. For Māori, there appears to be a greater decrease in radiation therapy volumes between October 2021 and October 2018/19. Te Aho o Te Kahu is looking into this.

COVID-19 and cancer services to end October 2021 (Word 5MB)

COVID-19 and cancer services to end October 2021 (PDF 5MB)

This report found publicly funded cancer treatment services continued during the 2021 COVID-19 lockdown. The dip in cancer registrations seen during August 2021 has resolved, with an increase in new diagnoses of cancer in September 2021. There was some disruption to diagnostic procedures, most notably in the Auckland region. However, the overall impact of COVID-19 on diagnoses is considerably smaller and shorter-lived than the disruption seen in April and May 2020. To date, COVID-19 does not appear to have increased inequities in access to cancer services for Māori.

COVID-19 and cancer services to end September 2021 (Word 5MB)

COVID-19 and cancer services to end September 2021 (PDF 5MB)

This report found that cancer treatment services were largely maintained during the August 2021 COVID-19 lockdown. However, there was a disruption to diagnostic services, contributing to a 9% reduction in new cancer diagnoses. In general, the disruptions to the cancer care pathway have impacted Māori less than non-Māori.

COVID-19 and cancer services to end August 2021 (Word 4.1MB)

COVID-19 and cancer services to end August 2021 (PDF 4.2MB)

There has now been the same number of new cancer diagnoses made in 2020 as were made in 2019. In general, the COVID-19 response does not appear to have increased inequities in the cancer system; however, the concerning exception is lung cancer. This report includes a section looking at lung cancer in more detail, aiming to describe the inequities in detail and consider what the potential drivers of these inequities are.

• COVID-19 and Cancer Report to End October 2020 (Word, 2158 KB)
• COVID-19 and Cancer Report to End October 2020 (PDF, 2493 KB)

COVID-19 and Cancer Report to End August 2020

There continues to be an increase in new cancer registrations in August 2020. This report shows we have nearly caught up on the dip in cancer registrations seen over the lockdown period. Cancer treatment services – surgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology and haematology – continued during the COVID-19 lockdown and continue to be delivered at pre-COVID volumes in the months since.

• COVID-19 and Cancer Report to End August 2020 (Word, 2259 KB)
• COVID-19 and Cancer Report to End August 2020 (PDF, 2559 KB)

There continues to be an increase in new cancer registrations and diagnostic procedures in July 2020. This report shows that we are continuing to catch up on the dip in cancer registrations seen over the lockdown period. The overall number of diagnostic procedures and new cancer registrations in 2020 remains somewhat lower than 2019, but the gap continues to close. Cancer treatment services – surgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology and haematology – continued during the COVID-19 lockdown and continue to be delivered at pre-COVID volumes in the months since.

• COVID-19 and Cancer Report to End July 2020 (Word, 766 KB)
• COVID-19 and Cancer Report to End July 2020 (PDF, 1391 KB)

There has been a substantial increase in new cancer registrations and diagnostic procedures in June compared to May 2020. This report shows that we are catching up on cancer registrations from the lockdown period. The overall number of diagnostic procedures and new cancer registrations in 2020 remains lower than 2019. Cancer treatment services – surgery, medical oncology, radiation oncology and haematology – continued during the COVID-19 lockdown and continue to be delivered at pre-COVID volumes.

• COVID-19 and Cancer Report to end June 2020 (Word, 683 KB)
• COVID-19 and Cancer Report to end June 2020 (PDF, 887 KB)

These reports shows an increase in new registrations and diagnostic procedures in May compared to April 2020. The overall number of diagnostic procedures and new cancer registrations in 2020 remains lower than 2019. The disruptions to diagnostic services seen in April 2020 are now showing up in medical oncology, radiation oncology and haematology services, with fewer attendances in May.

Broken down by DHB:

• COVID-19 and Cancer Report to End May 2020 (Word, 155 KB)
• COVID-19 and Cancer Report to End May 2020 (PDF, 686 KB)

Nationally:

• COVID-19 and Cancer National Report to End May 2020 (Word, 155 KB)
• COVID-19 and Cancer National Report to End May 2020 (PDF, 686 KB)

This report found that cancer treatment services were largely maintained during the COVID-19 lockdown. This was the result of a rapid collective response from the cancer sector across New Zealand. However, there was a large disruption to diagnostic services, contributing to a significant reduction in new cancer diagnoses. In general, the disruptions to the cancer care pathway have not increased inequities for Māori to date.

• COVID-19 and cancer services (Word, 1 MB)
• COVID-19 and cancer services (PDF, 1.1 MB)