Women across the UK who are living with incurable breast cancer are being denied the chance to spend extra time with their loved ones due to the covid-19 crisis.

Charity Breast Cancer Now says it is hearing “unparalleled” levels of distress through its helpline service.

A survey by the charity has found thousands of women have seen treatment programmes and monitoring scans cancelled.

Karen Hilton, 48, from Dalkeith, was diagnosed with incurable secondary breast cancer in September 2018 after noticing lumps in her collarbone.

Karen and her partner of ten years, Alistair, were due to get married in April, but had to cancel their wedding due to lockdown.

Taking part in clinical trials for new drugs that are not yet approved for the NHS is one option for Karen – but these have been cancelled because of the pandemic.

She said: “They could be the thing that keep me alive but at the moment due to covid-19 I’m not getting access and I don’t know how long it’s going to take for clinical trials to come back on to the table.

“I want to see my son grow up and it’s heart-breaking to think that might not happen.

“At a time in my life that I want to be going out and working my way through my bucket list and all my travel plans, I can’t. I can’t even go for a coffee with a friend. It’s really tough for me and my family.

“While it’s a frightening situation that I’m living with this cancer, I’m also living with hope that I will get the treatment I need.”

Secondary breast cancer occurs when the disease spreads to other parts of the body. It can be controlled through treatment but it cannot currently be cured.

Just under a quarter of the 190 women who had this type of cancer responding to the survey said their potentially life-extending treatment had been delayed or cancelled, while another 10% had monitoring scans delayed.

Last month public health expert Professor Linda Bauld told healthandcare.scot some cancer treatments that extend patient’s lives have “effectively been stopped”.

Scottish Government advice warned last month that covid-19 had changed the risk-benefit calculation for people on chemotherapy programmes and said drug combinations could be reviewed.

Although figures are not routinely recorded, Breast Cancer Now says there are likely thousands of women across the UK in this position.

The charity is calling for women with secondary breast cancer to be included in any ‘catch-up’ plans for cancer patients.

Breast Cancer Now CEO Baroness Delyth Morgan said: “Many women are experiencing or fearing considerable changes to their care, and the level of anxiety, distress and fear that we’ve been hearing on our helpline is unparalleled in recent years.

“We call on UK Governments and NHS bodies to set out clear plans to ensure everyone living with secondary breast cancer can safely receive the treatment and care they need as soon as possible at covid-free hubs or sites.

“Without clear plans to restore treatment, services and trials as soon as it is safe and feasible to do so, thousands of people could miss out on precious extra time with their loved ones, which would be absolutely heart-breaking.”

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