Tens of thousands of Americans have missed screenings for breast and lung cancer in the two years since the Covid pandemic began, another study found.
Researchers from the University of Texas looked at data from 5.3 million shows recorded annually in the three years before Covid to create a baseline and compared it to those performed in 2020-2022.
They found that during the pandemic there were up to 24 percent fewer lung cancer screenings and 14 percent fewer breast cancer screenings, equivalent to about 54,000 fewer for lung cancer alone.
Previous research has shown that cancer screenings fell sharply in 2020 as nationwide lockdowns were introduced. However, the researchers of the new study cautioned that the declines did not slow down after the “first pandemic spikes”.
Early detection of cancer is crucial to prolong patient survival because it is more difficult to treat in later stages.
The graph above shows the monthly changes in breast cancer screenings (black line) since 2017. It also shows a predicted screening rate (dashed yellow line) and the Covid infection rate (blue line) in the US over the same period. Shows were initially stable, but fell by up to 14 percent in the first year of the pandemic
American doctors recommend that women between the ages of 50 and 74 be screened for breast cancer every two years.
Those who are at greater genetic risk or have a family history of the disease should be seen every year.
Lung cancer screenings are recommended annually for smokers or those who have quit within the past 15 years between the ages of 50 and 80.
People in the age group who have smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for 20 years or two packs a day for 10 years should also be screened, says the US Preventive Services Taskforce.
Breast cancer screening is done with a mammogram, which is an X-ray of the breasts to check for signs of cancer. Lung cancer screening is done using low-dose computed tomography (LDCT), which examines the lungs for cancer.
In the study, published today in the JAMA Network Open, the scientists reviewed records from 1.6 million breast cancer screenings for women aged 50 to 74.
They also looked at 3.7 million lung cancer screenings for men and women between the ages of 55 and 79.
Screenings were conducted from January 2017 to April 2022 and data were drawn from the Medicare database. It accounted for 20 percent of all records.
The chart above shows lung cancer admissions in the US (black line) since 2017. It also shows a projected rate based on the first three years (dashed yellow line) and the number of Covid infections (blue line). Data showed lung cancer early detection rates fell by up to 24 percent in the first year of the Covid pandemic
Scientists analyzed screening rates from January 2017 to February 2020 for both cancer types.
They used these figures to calculate estimates for screening rates over the next two years to see how much they had fallen.
The data showed that breast cancer detection dropped by 17 percent in the first year and by 4 percent in the second year.
Delays in mammography can lead to more deaths from breast cancer
Delays to vetting due to lockdown restrictions mean hundreds more are likely to lose their lives.
About 39.5 percent of women were screened in the year after March 2020, compared to an expected rate of 47.8 percent.
In the second year, 47 percent were screened, compared to the expected 49 percent.
Lung cancer screenings fell by 24 percent in the first year of the Covid pandemic and by 14 percent in the second year.
In the first year, there were 11,000 shows per million people, compared to an expected figure of 14,900.
In the second year it was 15,200 per million, against 17,600 expected.
The research team, led by Christopher Doan, a University of Texas medical student who led the study, said the decline was related to the Covid pandemic.
They found that rates fell when Covid infection rates were higher, but would rise again once they fell.
Many people shied away from health care during the pandemic for fear of burdening hospitals and not wanting to contract the virus.
The scientists said: “In the 38 months leading up to the pandemic, mammography rates were flat. In contrast, rates of [lung cancer] Screening increased linearly between January 2017 and January 2020 for an overall increase of 148 percent.’
They added: “In this cohort study, the decline in cancer screening in the early stages of the Covid pandemic did not decline after the initial pandemic surges.
“Successful interventions to improve screening rates must address pandemic-specific reasons for low screening participation.”
President Joe Biden has declared war on cancer in the US and has promised to halve the number of deaths from the disease within 25 years.
Pre-pandemic data paint an encouraging picture, showing that the death rate has fallen by 33 percent since 1991 – resulting in 3.8 million fewer deaths.
Lung and breast cancer have seen the biggest improvements overall, which experts attribute to successful awareness campaigns and healthier habits.
But there are concerns that some of the gains made in the early stages of the pandemic have been lost after many avoided health care.
Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the world, affecting more than two MILLION women each year
Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the world. There are more than 55,000 new cases in the UK each year and the disease claims the lives of 11,500 women. In the US, it affects 266,000 people and kills 40,000 each year. But what causes it and how can it be treated?
What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer arises from a cancer cell that develops in the lining of a milk duct, or lobule, in one of the breasts.
When breast cancer has spread to surrounding breast tissue, it is called ‘invasive’ breast cancer. Some people are diagnosed with “carcinoma in situ,” where no cancer cells have grown beyond the duct or lobule.
Most cases occur in women over 50, but younger women are sometimes affected. Breast cancer can occur in men, although it is rare.
Staging means how big the cancer is and whether it has spread. Stage 1 is the earliest stage and stage 4 means that the cancer has spread to another part of the body.
Cancer cells are classified from low, which means slow growth, to high, which means fast growth. High-grade cancers are more likely to come back after they are first treated.
What causes breast cancer?
A cancer starts with an abnormal cell. The exact reason why a cell becomes cancerous is unclear. It is believed that something damages or changes certain genes in the cell. This causes the cell to become abnormal and multiply “out of control”.
Although breast cancer can develop for no apparent reason, there are certain risk factors that can increase the chance of developing breast cancer, such as: B. Heredity.
What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
The usual first symptom is a painless breast lump, although most breast lumps are non-cancerous and are fluid-filled cysts that are benign.
The first place where breast cancer usually spreads is the axillary lymph nodes. When this happens you get a swelling or lump in an armpit.
How is breast cancer diagnosed?
- Initial assessment: A doctor examines the breasts and armpits. They can do tests such as a mammogram, a special X-ray of breast tissue that can indicate the possibility of tumors.
- Biopsy: A biopsy takes a small sample of tissue from an area of the body. The sample is then examined under a microscope to look for abnormal cells. The sample can confirm or rule out cancer.
If you are confirmed to have breast cancer, further tests may be needed to determine if it has spread. For example, blood tests, an ultrasound of the liver, or a chest x-ray.
How is breast cancer treated?
Treatment options that may be considered include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormone treatment. A combination of two or more of these treatments is often used.
- Surgery: Breast-conserving surgery or removal of the affected breast, depending on the size of the tumor.
- Radiation therapy: A treatment in which high-energy rays are directed at cancerous tissue. It kills cancer cells or stops cancer cells from multiplying. It is mainly used in addition to surgery.
- Chemotherapy: A treatment for cancer with anti-cancer drugs that kill cancer cells or stop them from growing
- Hormone treatments: Some types of breast cancer are affected by the “female” hormone estrogen, which can stimulate cancer cells to divide and multiply. Treatments that lower levels of these hormones or stop them from working are often used in breast cancer patients.
How successful is the treatment?
The outlook is best for those diagnosed when the cancer is small and has not spread. Surgical removal of a tumor at an early stage can then offer good chances of recovery.
The routine mammogram offered to women in their 50s and 70s means more breast cancer is diagnosed and treated at an early stage.
For more information, visit breastcancernow.org or call the toll-free number on 0808 800 6000
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
