Getting cancer screening back on track during COVID-19
Early detection of cancer through screening reduces mortality from cancers of the colon and rectum, breast, uterine cervix, and lung (see https://www.cancer.org/healthy/find-cancer-early/cancer-screening-guidelines.html). Cancer mortality has declined in recent decades in part due to progress in cancer screening technologies, awareness, research, and the general population\u2019s improved uptake in screening services.\n\nBut far too many individuals for whom screening is recommended remain unscreened, and this situation has been aggravated by the substantial decline in cancer screening resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the pandemic-related disruptions will likely exacerbate existing disparities in cancer screening and survival across groups of people who have systemically experienced social or economic obstacles to screening and care.\n\nDeana Baptiste, PhD, MPH\u2014the American Cancer Society\u2019s Director of Guideline Development Process\u2014joined the TheoryLab podcast to talk about why cancer screening remains a public health priority and an essential service.\n\nREFERENCES:\nACS Guidance on Cancer Screening During COVID-19: https://www.acs4ccc.org/acs-guidance-on-cancer-screening-during-covid-19/\nAmerican Cancer Society screening guidelines: https://www.cancer.org/healthy/find-cancer-early/cancer-screening-guidelines.html \n\n3:44 \u2013 The role that screening plays in decreasing cancer mortality\n\n6:08 \u2013 Pre-pandemic, were we where we wanted to be as a country in terms of cancer screening?\n\n9:05 \u2013 On the concerning drop in cancer screening resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic\n\n13:58 \u2013 Have measures that have been put into place to make hospitals safe for patients during the pandemic had unintended consequences on screening? \n\n20:09 \u2013 Why cancer screening remains a public health priority and essential service\n\n24:36 \u2013 Strategies to get cancer screening back on track\n\n31:42 \u2013 How screening disparities have been impacted by the pandemic\n\n35:47 \u2013 Some ways to deal with the \u201cunprecedented backlog in cancer screening\u201d\n\n43:10 \u2013 Lessons learned from the pandemic that will inform our ability to better deliver cancer screenings appropriately, safely, and equitably