Doctors Encourage Patients to Get Back on Track with Regular Cancer Screenings

Patients who postponed cancer screenings due to the pandemic are being urged to get back on track by scheduling a screening immediately.

LONG BEACH, CA – The MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute at Long Beach Medical Center is urging those that postponed cancer screenings during the pandemic to get back on track. 

During the coronavirus pandemic many elective procedures had to be put on hold due to hospital safety guidelines, and because of this, many patients missed their regular cancer screenings. 

Now doctors are seeing patients coming in with more advanced and aggressive cancers that could have been caught earlier in their progression had the patient received a cancer screening. 

“People are coming to the hospital with more symptoms of advanced cancers than you would normally see, and a lot of times when you talk to patients and you get a good history, you see that there has been quite a bit of delay due to the impact that the pandemic had on cancer screenings or access to healthcare,” said Medical Director of the MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute, Dr. Nilesh Vora. 

Cancer screenings can allow doctors to find cancers at an earlier stage making them much easier to treat. Many patients do not experience any symptoms in the early stages of cancer which is why getting regular cancer screenings is so important. Patients that are diagnosed at early stages typically have better outcomes in treatment.

“We have more curative opportunities in patients who present with earlier stage cancers. So if cancer screenings are delayed, those cancers that are there will be eventually found at later stages and that makes the chances of a cure more remote,” said Vora. 

Patients should begin scheduling any cancer screenings they missed during the pandemic, and those who have been hesitant in the past should make plans to meet with their doctor to discuss what they can do to get on track. 

Currently cancer screenings can detect cancers such as breast cancer, colon cancer, cervical cancer and lung cancer. There are also options for less invasive cancer detection for certain types of cancer for patients who are hesitant.

Cancer screenings are crucial regardless of one’s lifestyle. Even those who do not have symptoms and have a healthy lifestyle should schedule regular screenings. Cancer can be present in anyone and early detection of cancer through screenings prevents cancers from spreading or becoming more aggressive. 

“I want to urge the general public to understand that they shouldn’t be worried about getting screening tests done. These things can lead us to lifesaving measures,” said Vora. 

Cancer screenings are crucial in detecting cancers before they become even more difficult to treat. The MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute encourages everyone to get on track with cancer screenings. 

By Morgan Trivitt