But the cancer statistics paper published Wednesday, a companion to the American Cancer Society's 2022 annual report, cautions pandemic-related impacts to cancer detection and treatment aren't yet known. The scientific paper also calls out racial disparities in cancer rates that have long persisted.

The report says cancer diagnoses and treatments were adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, as access to healthcare was limited for many Americans. But data to quantify the problem won't be available for years. .

“We are all ... anxious about what this report is going to look like … in February 2024," said Dr.