The study, published in The Lancet Oncology, provides a comprehensive analysis of how cancer services were disrupted across multiple countries during 2020.

The ICBP paper, “International disruptions to cancer diagnosis and stage at presentation during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020,” analysed more than 2.5 million cancer cases across seven countries. It found that cancer diagnoses fell sharply during the early months of the pandemic due to widespread disruption of healthcare services. However, critically, the study identified no immediate increase in late-stage cancer diagnoses in 2020, while noting that any longer-term effects will require continued monitoring.

These findings closely mirror those published by the NCRI in its December 2025 report, “Impact of COVID-19 on cancer incidence, stage at diagnosis, mortality and 1-year survival in Ireland.” The Irish data showed a 27% drop in cancer diagnoses in early 2020, followed by a steady recovery, with diagnostic activity returning to expected levels by 2022. The report also found no consistent increase in late-stage cancers between 2020 and 2022, and one-year survival rates for patients diagnosed during the pandemic remained in line with previous years.

The NCRI said that the strong alignment between national and international evidence is reassuring for patients, clinicians and policymakers.

Welcoming the study, Professor Deirdre Murray, Director of the NCRI, said it provides “strong, independent confirmation” of Ireland’s experience.

“While the pandemic caused a significant and immediate disruption to cancer diagnosis, there is no evidence of a sustained increase in late-stage disease during the pandemic. That is very reassuring for patients and their families,” she said.

Professor Murray noted that Ireland’s cancer services adapted rapidly under significant pressure.

“Our own data showed that Ireland’s cancer services adapted quickly and effectively under unprecedented circumstances. The ICBP findings reinforce that message, while also highlighting how different health systems experienced and responded to the same global shock.”

The study highlights that Ireland, along with the UK and Canada, experienced some of the largest early reductions in cancer diagnoses, reflecting longer and more stringent disruption to healthcare services. At the same time, it underscores the capacity of systems to recover and the importance of maintaining diagnostic pathways wherever possible during periods of crisis.

Professor Murray emphasised the value of the study’s international perspective.

“By comparing experiences across multiple countries and jurisdictions, it provides valuable insights into what worked well, where systems were vulnerable, and how quickly recovery can be achieved,” she said.

“This kind of benchmarking is essential—not only in validating national findings such as ours, but also in informing future pandemic preparedness. It helps ensure that cancer services can be protected as much as possible during future health crises.”

Both the ICBP study and the NCRI’s national report stress the importance of continued monitoring to assess any longer-term impacts on cancer outcomes, including survival rates and potential delayed changes in stage at diagnosis.

“While early indications are reassuring, ongoing surveillance remains critical,” Professor Murray added. “High-quality, population-based cancer data—both nationally and internationally—will continue to play a central role in guiding policy, improving services, and safeguarding patient outcomes.”

The NCRI also highlighted the crucial role of cancer registries worldwide, whose data made the ICBP study possible, and reiterated the importance of maintaining robust data systems even during periods of major health system disruption.

Access the The Lancet Oncology paper here

The NCRI report is available here