Coronavirus may cause more breast, colorectal deaths

(WFLA/CNN Newsource) – From lock downs, to fear of catching the coronavirus, there are many reasons people have put off routine health care during the pandemic.

Dr. Anthony Fauci said that could have devastating consequences.

“Project that over the next decade could actually result in 10,000 or more excess deaths from breast and colorectal cancer because of the reductions in routine screening,” he said, speaking off-camera at an American Association for Cancer Research conference.

Fauci cited a June editorial published in the journal “Science.”

The paper also noted that COVID-19 has caused an “unprecedented disruption” in cancer research.

Two studies presented at the conference found that routine breast and prostate cancer screening rates have gone down due to COVID-19-related disruptions of care.

Another study associated unemployment rates, which skyrocketed between February and May, leading to lower rates of breast and colorectal screening, as the authors noted that unemployed adults often lack health insurance.

The CDC says cancer patients or any age are also at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.