Doctors worry people are risking a late cancer diagnosis

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - An urgent reminder from doctors to get back to your routine cancer screenings.

Doctors are still concerned too many people aren’t getting checked, risking a late cancer diagnosis.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just wrapped up part two of its report to the nation looking into cancer diagnoses during the COVID-19 pandemic. This new report focuses on the changes we saw during the first year of the pandemic in 2020.

There was an abrupt drop in cancer diagnoses because of interruptions in medical care. A lot of people weren’t going in for routine screenings.

In the first year of the pandemic, there were significant declines in the number of newly diagnosed cases of six major cancers, including colorectal, breast, lung, pancreas, prostate and thyroid.

The National Cancer Institute says the missed opportunities for early cancer detection are alarming, especially for vulnerable populations who still aren’t getting great access to cancer care.

Cancer experts again want to remind you how important it is to make up for lost time. Now is the time to talk with your doctor about what screenings you need.

Part one of the CDC report last year focused on general cancer statistics. The reports were published in the journal Cancer.

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