Evaluating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer control in Manitoba

Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada. The cancer care system aims to lessen this burden by improving survival through screening, early detection and diagnosis, and timely, high quality treatment. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on cancer care. In Manitoba, several interventions were implemented by CancerCare Manitoba (CCMB) (the provincial agency responsible for cancer screening and treatment) to keep cancer patients safe while continuing to provide excellent care. These interventions included changes to cancer screening programs, shifts from in-person visits to telephone visits, prioritizing the most critical cancer surgeries, and altering how chemotherapy and radiotherapy were delivered. The overall goal of this project is to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic and the interventions that were implemented to reduce its impact affected cancer services and outcomes such as survival in Manitoba.