While life is moving toward the new normal now for many Kentuckians, nothing is exactly the way it was prior to the coronavirus pandemic. In the area of cancer care, COVID-19 put a major dent in the number of people undergoing various cancer screenings.
University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center Community Outreach Director Melissa Hounshell said more people are getting in for screenings this year. “We have seen some of those rebound quickly, but then in other areas, like colonoscopy, they haven’t. So, we are really, internally at UK, focusing on those areas,” said Hounshell.
In addition to colorectal cancer, Hounshell noted there’s an emphasis on breast, cervical, and lung cancer screenings. She added it’s too soon to determine if there will be a major increase in latter stage cancer diagnosis. “That data will come later for sure, but we are really hoping that’s not the case, but we fear that it may be,” explained Hounshell.
The Markey Cancer Center representative said sometimes encouragement from family or friends can carry as much weight or more than that from primary care physicians.
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