'Tsunami of Cancers' Might Happen Over Pandemic Lockdown, Warn Oncologists
When SARS-CoV-2 enters the picture of our present world, several activities and mobility have come to stop.
This is because authorities impose safety protocols and lockdowns, not only in the United States but also around the globe, to protect their constituents from getting infected with COVID-19.
Ever since the virus was able to affect millions of people, the media and the authorities seem to focus on developing countermeasures to lessen the toll it has caused humanity.
However, medical experts do not only fight the angst of SARS-CoV-2, but also other medical conditions that impede the life of millions of people, like cancer for example.
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Tsunami of Cancer patients
Kyle Denhoff and members of the Boston Cannons visit cancer patients at Boston Children's Hospital August 8, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts.
CBC reports that Oncologists worry about the sudden surge of Cancer patients due to the lockdown COVID-19 has caused.
Director of Princess Margaret Cancer Center, Dr. Keith Stewart says in an interview with Yahoo! sports that the experts are worried about the spike of cancer suddenly showing up due to the drop of cancer screening, referrals, and diagnosis since the pandemic began in March.
Unfold Times furthers that the experts' worry does not mean cancer charges are dropping, but they worry that it implies that cases are being missed and the patients are not able to get the remedy or treatment intended for them.
In England, a study published in The Lancet Oncology demonstrates a significant increase in avoidable mortality because of the delays the COVID-19 pandemic has caused. The researchers further that urgent policy interventions are important especially the need to establish the backlog within routine diagnostic services.
Delayed Screenings
The researchers echo the finding of the English study, stating in CBC that during the first wave of the pandemic, an evident decrease in screening or diagnosis for three major cancer. They further that it displays a 97 percent diminution in mammograms, 88 percent reduction in Pap Tests and a 73 percent decline in fecal tests.
In an interview with Yahoo! sports Dr. Kim Chi adds that there was a 25 percent decrease in cancer diagnoses because people were not able or not accessing the healthcare system.
CBC adds that the decrease in screening will result in lesser early diagnoses of people with more advanced cancers which can be challenging to treated or medicated.
Lockdown and Delayed Medication
In some cases, cancer patients require surgeries. Pandemic and lockdown affected this domain of cancer treatment since mobility has become challenging.
Executive vice president of Canadian Cancer Society, Dr. Stewart notes in an interview with CBC that they have a halt in operating on non-urgent cases and giving chemotherapy to patients instead of surgeries while waiting for delayed operation during the initial days of the pandemic.
He adds in Yahoo! sports that the options for treatment are scarcer, and consequences tend to be worse.
The Challenge
CBC exclaims that the Canadian Cancer Society is encouraging the health officials to not impose full shutdowns on screenings and testing of cancer patients. Dr. Stewart points out that there are cancer patients which are curable which are not being detected early due to the lockdown.
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