PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — We are now learning about the impact of the pandemic on health issues unrelated to COVID-19. Researchers from the University of California in San Diego have released data showing that a growing number of patients are being seen with cancer first diagnosed in later stages.
This was a concern that had been raised during the pandemic. Many people decided to put off screening tests because they had concerns that they might be infected with COVID-19 if they traveled to hospitals or testing centers.
One of the most important ways to fight cancer is to diagnose and treat it in its earliest stages. The UCSD numbers compared 2019 with 2020. An example: Stage IV breast cancer — which is a very advanced stage. In the study, 1.9% of women presented with stage IV in 2019, and the number jumped to 6.2% in 2020.
KYW Newsradio’s Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.