How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect cancer patients in England who had hospital appointments cancelled?

• The paper examines appointment cancellations for English cancer patients during COVID-19. • Pandemic patients waited 19 more days for rescheduled appointments than pre-pandemic. • Pandemic cohort had 14% fewer outpatient, 32% fewer inpatient visits, 50% less hospitalized. • No mortality difference suggests hospitals prioritized acute cases despite fewer resources. • Later cancellations less disruptive; provider-initiated linked to higher survival rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]