In May, Epic published an article showing that breast and cervical cancer screenings were down 94%, and colon cancer tests were down 86%, in the spring compared to the same period the previous three years.
“If the trend continues, the data suggest that many cancer cases could go undiagnosed or be diagnosed at a later stage with a poorer prognosis,” the article said.
An update in July said the screenings had increased but were still about a third lower than normal. Between March 15 and June 16, Epic researchers said, 285,000 breast exams, 95,000 colon tests, and 40,000 cervical screenings were missed.
The assessments of COVID-19 treatments and outcomes, and of the pandemic’s impact on clinical care, will continue to be important as the pandemic evolves, said Seth Hain, Epic’s vice president of research and development.
“We expect both of these types of observation studies … to be relevant as we look forward to a vaccine,” he said.
