Throughout October, people from across the world unite to
raise awareness of the effects of breast cancer. The fight against this disease will not end until
there is a cure. But until then, education, screenings, and awareness are the weapons we must use to
fight. Let's inspire each other and spread the message
Cancer Screenings in the Time of COVID
A new blog post by Phil Reichner
On January 20, 2020, a Washington state resident became the first
confirmed case of COVID-19 in the United States. Less than two weeks later, the U.S. declared a
national emergency concerning the virus. Cases of the coronavirus continued to rise throughout
the United States and the world through the next few months. The first sharp rise of cases in
the U.S. occurred between June 9, 2020, and July 20, 2020. During this time, this country
experienced a 300% increase in cases.
At this time, most hospitals across the country
began to free up resources to deal with the influx of COVID-19 patients. One of the means that
they opened up resources was by canceling elective procedures at the hospitals. While this may
make sense on the surface, who needs a nose job in the middle of a global pandemic? Many of the
general public did not know that included in these elective procedures were routine cancer
screenings. Simultaneously, local and state governments began instituting stay-at-home orders,
further restricting access to the doctor's offices and other medical facilities.
American Cancer Society's Recommendations for Breast Cancer Screenings
These guidelines are for women at average risk for
breast cancer. For
screening purposes, a woman is considered to be at average risk if she doesn’t have a personal
history of breast cancer, a strong family history of breast cancer, or a genetic mutation known
to increase risk of breast cancer (such as in a BRCA gene), and has not had chest radiation
therapy before the age of 30.
Women
between 40 and 44 have the option to start screening with a mammogram every
year.
Women between 45 and 54
should get mammograms every year.
Women
55 and older can switch to a mammogram every other year, or they can choose to
continue yearly mammograms. Screening should continue as long as a woman is in good health
and
is expected to live at least 10 more years.