Pandemic pause on mammograms means more breast cancer deaths, study says - WECT

adaapablogsi.blogspot.com

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - The pandemic of 2020 forced many people to put their health on hold. Cancer screenings, for one, were delayed or even canceled to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19.

The charity, Breast Cancer Now, estimates that around 986,000 people missed their mammograms because screenings were paused in March. Those screenings find cancer you can’t see or feel.

“With breast cancer, early detection is the key to treating either pre-cancerous or early-stage breast cancers but due to screenings not happening as early as they should, we are concerned we will see an increase in more advanced diagnosed breast cancers,” said Kristen Wissbaum, an oncology surgical nurse at NHRMC.

Research suggests that could lead to more deaths. That’s discouraging as women dying from breast cancer is down 40% from the 1990′s.

“Which is great, but we’re still having lots of populations that are diagnosed with more advanced stages.”

Wissbaum says New Hanover Regional is participating in what’s called a Community of Practice where they’re reaching out to African American and Latino populations to encourage them to get their mammograms.

“Those two populations tend to be diagnosed either at later stages or have a higher increase of death from breast cancer,” she says.

Caught early in any race, breast cancer is very treatable.

“Overall, survival from breast cancer is very good,” Wissbaum says. “We always try to encourage patients when they come in with a breast cancer diagnosis. It is very treatable. We have many options. If it’s caught sooner there’s even more options there and the overall chance of survival 5, 10, 20 years from now is much higher. The earlier stage breast cancers are diagnosed on screening mammogram before the patient has any symptoms. Most patients don’t feel a mass or have any breast changes. It’s just picked up by a mammogram.”

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women. The death rate from breast cancer has decreased but still seeing patients come in with more advanced disease.

“If you missed your mammogram in the month you were supposed to have it, we recommend getting it as soon as possible — not waiting an extra year or waiting for that month to come back around.”

Copyright 2021 WECT. All rights reserved.

Adblock test (Why?)

"breast" - Google News
August 21, 2021 at 06:51AM
https://ift.tt/3y7aQYW

Pandemic pause on mammograms means more breast cancer deaths, study says - WECT
"breast" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2ImtPYC
https://ift.tt/2Wle22m

Bagikan Berita Ini