After pandemic delays screenings, physicians say cancer more advanced when found

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Sponsored Content) — Physicians are beginning to see residual effects of the global pandemic. As people return for screenings that were postponed, cancers that are discovered are at a more advanced stage when diagnosed. This limits options available for treating the cancer.

“In the early part of the pandemic, we noticed a decrease in the number of women showing up for their screening mammograms,” said Dr. Jillian Lloyd, an oncologist at UT Medical Center. “As a result, we’ve now noticed an increase in the number of advanced cancers at presentation.”

When a cancer is diagnosed at an advanced stage treatment options are more limited, Lloyd said.

A screening mammogram is an x-ray that is taken of the breast tissue to help us find abnormalities.

“Screening mammograms are important because they save lives,” Lloyd said. “They are the only imaging modality that has been shown to save lives because they find cancers early when there are more treatment options available.”

UT Medical Center is urging women to get back to regular screenings.

“Get back to your screening mammogram, get back to your screening colonoscopy, get back to your gynecologist so we can identify these cancers as early as possible and therefore have the greatest number of treatment options available,” Lloyd said.

For appointments or more information visit UT Medical Center