UW Health urges cancer screening appointments amid pandemic

MADISON, Wis. - Health experts at UW Health are urging the public not to wait until the COVID-19 pandemic is over and everyone is vaccinated to schedule a cancer screening.

In a news release, they say if you are due for a mammogram, colonoscopy or other cancer screening, or missed one in 2020, call your provider as soon as possible to schedule an appointment. Earlier screenings lead to earlier diagnosis, which is directly connected to less invasive treatments and more successful outcomes.

The UW Carbone Cancer Center, alongside The National Comprehensive Cancer Network, the American Cancer Society and 76 other organizations, recently signed a letter to the public encouraging patients to resume cancer screening and treatment during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The letter examines distressing trends showing a significant drop-off in cancer screening and treatment compared to pre-pandemic levels. As the letter states, "Recent studies found the number of cervical, colorectal, breast, prostate and lung cancer screening tests dropped dramatically due to concerns about COVID-19. Studies have also noted a significant drop in cancer diagnoses and delays in active treatment. This is concerning because identifying and treating cancer early significantly improves outcomes from cancer, a disease in which it’s estimated more than 600,000 people died from in the U.S. in 2020."

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Cancer screenings like mammograms or colonoscopies save lives. The National Cancer Institute predicts almost 10,000 excess deaths in the U.S. from breast and colorectal cancer alone over the next 10 years because of pandemic-related delays in cancer screening and treatment.