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Late cancer screenings in the midst of the pandemic could result in more patients with advanced forms of the disease in the future, doctors worry.
“We are certainly concerned about the impact of delays in screening and treating cancer patients,” wrote Dr. Bob Keenan, chief medical officer of the Florida-based Moffitt Cancer Center, in a statement.
Keenan noted that the site, like many others, temporarily shut down routine screening for mammography and colonoscopy for several months last spring. The resumption of services at the start of the summer and the protocols to prioritize coronavirus positive patients based on the aggressiveness of their tumors were aimed at mitigating the impact of the delays.
“That said, we do have a feeling some patients have presented at a later stage than they might have had before COVID,” Keenan wrote to Fox News, in part. “We are currently analyzing our results this year compared to previous years to see if there are any substantial differences.”
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According to an analysis by the EPIC Health Research Network, separate data from 2.7 million patient records in 23 states showed an 86% to 94% drop in weekly preventive cancer screenings taken last spring from pre-reported figures. -pandemic. In June, the number of screenings for breast, colon and cervical cancer improved, but remained about a third lower than in 2017-2019.
An expert from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston confirmed that cancer screens and exams have not yet returned to baseline values while noting an apparent lack of bounce to make up for missed exams.
“This raises concerns that we will see an increase in advanced stage cancers and cancer mortality in the future, as these cancers will eventually emerge, and perhaps at a time when we have missed the opportunity. to treat them more easily and to cure them. Wrote Dr. Craig Bunnell, chief medical officer of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, in an emailed statement.
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It appears that serious ramifications from delayed testing are only beginning to emerge. Dr Robert McWilliams of the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center reported that providers are now “starting to see the impact of delayed screening,” while Dr Matt Kalaycio, vice president of the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, said the data no ‘had not yet confirmed more patients. have advanced stage cancers.
Nonetheless, the American Cancer Society told Fox News that providers must not only address the backlog of missed tests, but also prioritize patients vying for appointments, such as those at higher risk of cancer. diseases that require rapid or more frequent screening.
“Identifying patients at increased risk for cancer due to genetic, personal or family history is essential, and these patients should be given priority status when assigning screening appointments,” ACS wrote. in a press release sent by email.
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Patients with previous abnormal tests and those with new or worrisome symptoms should also be given a higher priority “than asymptomatic people at medium risk,” the company said, also calling for urgently needed policy changes. “to deal with a growing uninsured population. of the pandemic.
“The recent Coronavirus Relief Bill and its many provisions to expand access to comprehensive and affordable health coverage passed by Congress are an important first step in removing barriers to coverage,” the statement said. “The recent loss of insurance by millions of Americans will cause immediate challenges in accessing care, including cancer screening and cancer care.” Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we must provide the public with safe opportunities for cancer screening and care, including focusing on overcoming barriers for populations disproportionately affected by cancer and COVID-19. “
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