At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, several health organizations and government agencies across the country put out an alert recommending that any elective or non-essential medical procedures be suspended until there was a decrease in coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) cases. As a result, cancer screening numbers saw a significant drop-off, with an estimated 9.4 million cancer screenings being left behind for breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers alone.
Although numbers have since returned to a more normal state, the effect of those missed screenings is beginning to show itself in bleak form, resulting in patients returning to find they not only have cancer, but a growing number are being diagnosed with late-stage disease.
We spoke to one of the cancer experts here at Capital Health, Dr. Godshalk Ruggles, about the challenges doctors are still facing following the fallout of COVID-19. But first, let’s outline the impact the pandemic had on cancer screenings in recent years.
How COVID-19 Impacted Cancer Screenings
Back in 2020, the lives of U.S. citizens everywhere were put on hold as the country entered a state of total quarantine for the first time ever. And although it was a necessary adjustment that protected people from catching a virus we knew nothing about at the time, it also inadvertently left people in a petrified state – the line between what you should or shouldn’t do had become blurry and unclear, and in turn, most people opted to do nothing for fear of putting their life at risk. Others were left feeling cast away from their doctors as announcements continued rolling out advising the public to avoid visits with their regular physicians unless the situation was life-threatening.
As a result, cancer screening numbers dropped significantly. Breast cancer screenings alone saw a 90% decrease in April of 2020 – a staggering number that puts a spotlight on an issue that doctors are still feeling the effects of today. Dr. Godshalk Ruggles, one of the colorectal cancer surgeons at Capital Health, discussed what that means for her and other doctors around the country.
“During [the pandemic], we were definitely seeing that volume was lower – most people weren’t getting colonoscopies because most hospitals were limiting procedures or patients were scared to come to the hospital,” Ruggles said. “And I’m sure we’ll continue to see this trickle-down effect where you’re seeing patients who never got their first colonoscopy screening because it was during the pandemic, or never went for their follow-up colonoscopy, and now you’re seeing the aftereffects of that. I think it’s something that will be impacting public health for a long time.”
Why Waiting to Get Screened is Dangerous
Like most diseases, ailments, and injuries, cancer tends to get worse over time when it goes unnoticed or unattended. And although there is no universal rate of growth for cancers, some can advance from one stage to the next within weeks or months, making it critical that patients see a doctor once they’re due for a scheduled screening or think they have symptoms.
That’s especially true in our post-pandemic society. “We had two or three patients who were diagnosed with colon cancer, and it’s unfortunate,” Ruggles elaborated. “They had been scoped before COVID-19 and had been recommended to be re-scoped in three to five years. That three- or five-year mark hit during the pandemic, and they didn’t follow up on it. Here they are now, a couple years later, and they have cancer that theoretically would have been preventable.”
For some, Dr. Godshalk Ruggles told us, it was less about COVID-19 and more about the discomfort that comes with getting screened in the first place. It’s not something people necessarily want to do, and so most Americans leave it alone until they feel like they must see a doctor – and usually by then the disease has progressed further than it should have.
This is specifically true in the case of colonoscopies – something that has many patients opting for an alternative testing option such as Cologuard® or another over-the-counter solution. But these have their own drawbacks as well.
“The goal of Cologuard® is to diagnose cancer. [In comparison], the goal of a colonoscopy is to find the polyps and remove them to prevent the patient from getting colon cancer,” Dr. Godshalk Ruggles explained. “I always say to my patients, if your goal is to prevent yourself from ever having colon cancer, then Cologuard® is really bad – only 40% of the time will it detect [cancerous] polyps. The other 60% of patients who get a Cologuard® that’s negative could have polyps that will turn into cancer eventually, and if they’d had a colonoscopy, that wouldn’t happen.”
Don’t Wait – Schedule Your Cancer Screening Today
Regardless of whether you’re displaying symptoms of cancer or not, it’s important to stay up to date on any scheduled or recommended screenings you have. If you’re unsure, talk to your family doctor – they’ll be able to help you determine if you’re due for any regular screenings in the near future.
If you think it might be time for you to get screened for cancer, don’t wait. A quick Google search can help you identify a hospital or medical facility near you that offers cancer screenings. To schedule a screening with Capital Health Cancer Center, visit our website or give us a call at 609-537-6363.