Reduction in skin cancer diagnosis, and overall cancer referrals, during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID‐19 pandemic has led to a marked reduction in the number of patients accessing the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) for emergency reasons¹. The cause for this decline is as yet unknown, and likely to be multifactorial. We investigated whether there had been a similar reduction in urgent cancer referrals (known in England as the Two Week Wait (TWW) pathway) and subsequent diagnosis of skin cancer in our dermatology service.