Delays in cancer tests in the midst of the pandemic could result in more patients presenting 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,” Dr. Bob Keenan, medical director of the Moffitt Cancer Center in Florida, wrote in a statement.
Keenan noted that the site, like many others, temporarily closed routine mammography and colonoscopy exams for several months last spring. Services resumed in early summer and protocols to prioritize coronavirus-positive patients, depending on how aggressive their tumors were, intended to contain the impact of the delays.
“That said, we have a feeling that some patients presented at a later stage than before COVID,” Keenan wrote to Fox News, in part. “We are currently analyzing our findings this year compared to previous years to see if there are substantial differences.”
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Separate data based on 2.7 million patient records in 23 states indicated a 86-94% drop in weekly cancer preventive exams performed last spring compared to pre-pandemic numbers, according to an EPIC analysis Health Research Network. In June, the number of tests for breast, colon and cervical cancer improved, but remained approximately one-third lower compared to 2017-2019.
An expert at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston confirmed that cancer tests and examinations have not yet returned to baseline, although he noted an apparent lack of recovery to make up for missed tests.
“This raises the concern that we will see an increase in advanced cancers and cancer mortality in the future, because these cancers will eventually appear, and perhaps at a time when we lose the opportunity to treat them more easily and to cure them. them, “Dr. Craig Bunnell, medical director at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, wrote in an e-mailed statement.
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It seems that the serious ramifications of the exhibition delays are just beginning to unfold. 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 still needs to confirm more patients are presenting with advanced cancer.
However, the American Cancer Society told Fox News that providers should not only resolve the backlog of missed exams, but also prioritize patients who dispute appointments, such as those at higher risk of illness who need immediate or more frequent exams.
“The identification of patients at increased risk of cancer due to genetic, personal or family history is essential, and these patients should be given priority status when scheduling screening appointments,” wrote the ACS in an e-mailed statement.
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Patients with abnormal previous tests and those with new or worrisome symptoms should also be given higher priority “than asymptomatic medium-risk individuals,” said the society, also calling for “urgently needed” policy changes to deal with an expanding uninsured population. as a result of the pandemic.
“The recent coronavirus relief bill and its numerous provisions approved by Congress, approved by Congress, are an important first step in addressing barriers to coverage,” the statement said. “The recent loss of insurance by millions of Americans will lead to immediate challenges with access to care, including cancer screening and cancer treatment. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we must provide the public with safe opportunities for cancer screening and care, including a deliberate focus on overcoming barriers for populations disproportionately impacted by cancer and COVID-19. “