ATLANTA — The spread of coronavirus is having a significant impact on cancer patients because many are too worried to go to the doctor.
Channel 2′s Dave Huddletson talked to doctors who are worried there could soon be a spike in cancer diagnoses.
Dr. Jeffrey Metts at Cancer Treatment Centers of America said that cancer diagnoses are down almost 40% compared to this time last year -- but that isn't a good thing.
Metts said people are not going to the doctor for those routine checkups where they catch cancer early because they are scared of catching the coronavirus. That can lead to even more problems.
"We know there's about 1.7 million cases of cancer diagnosed every year, and we know they are there from many years of data," Metts said.
"What we are afraid of is this shadow curve that's developing," Metts said. "This surge that we're preparing for will lead us to having a larger number of diagnoses in a shorter period of time, and there will be more advanced cases."
Metts said it's crucial for health care professionals to follow CDC pandemic guidelines and share that information with their patients.
"When safety measures have been implemented, it's important to see your pap smear, your mammography, your colonoscopy, your PSA," Metts said. "All the screenings in every single one of those is down 80 to 90% from last year."
Khris Anderson was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer five years ago. The Alabama resident is healthy, but traveling to metro Atlanta for treatment. She understands why people are scared.
"I think there is always that concern that if we do get that disease, especially with me and lung cancer," Anderson said.
Metts said there have been 22 million fewer patients who have undergone cancer screenings, which means there could be 80,000 people in the U.S. with cancer who don’t know it.