Cancer screenings rebounded after a dramatic decline in the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, but a new study found an increase in disparities among some screening tests during the pandemic. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Toni Choueiri, MD, and Chris Labaki, MD, detail the findings. Press Release: http://ms.spr.ly/6053nN0Fd
cancer screenings rebounded in late 2020 after a covid related decline. But a new study found racial and economic disparities remain For some tests. Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Researchers led the study that published in the journal cancer Cell racial disparities were found in cancer screening tests even before the pandemic. And we aimed to analyze it was on the impact of the pandemic on these existing racial disparities. The research showed disparities differed between screening procedures and were more marked in patients undergoing mammography. Black and hispanic or latino patients had lower numbers and lower proportions. I'm compared to white patients. The researchers did find overall screenings rebounded and there was a substantial increase in screening procedures with numbers exceeding those seen before the pandemic. Then, while this increase is reassuring, many cancer diagnosis remains somewhat missed due to the sharp decline seen an earlier time period during the pandemic highlighting the need for more effort to recover all these potentially positive cases. The study looked at numbers from March 2022 December 2020 and was based on records of the Mass General Brigham system, the largest healthcare system in the northeast. The only screening test that did not see overall recovery was colonoscopy, possibly due to the invasive nature of the screening or because people opted for one of the at home alternatives. Researchers say the bottom line is that screenings are crucial and anyone who delayed, there's due to the pandemic should reach out to their primary doctors to discuss ways to get the test done. They also suggest screening campaigns focus on patient minorities with the goal of equitable screening across patient populations. At this point, there are safety measures in place, both for health care provider and for patient. We don't want to miss on cancer screening. The whole idea about screening it detects cancer at an earlier stage when it is curable, not at a later stage.
