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Prostate cancer referrals have dropped by half since lockdown, figures show

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Posted 9/8/2020 2:29 PM (GMT 0)
Prostate cancer referrals have dropped by half since the start of lockdown, with 27,000 fewer men checked for the deadly disease, official figures show.

Experts warned that missed checks during the coronavirus pandemic mean 3,500 men are at risk of dying from the condition.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/prostate-cancer-referrals-dropped-half-123854707.html[url]
Posted 9/8/2020 4:22 PM (GMT 0)
It will be interesting, I am afraid not in a good way, to look at statistics five years from now it will reveal how Covid has affected other diseases, in the way described above.
Posted 9/9/2020 5:27 AM (GMT 0)

Pratoman said...
It will be interesting, I am afraid not in a good way, to look at statistics five years from now it will reveal how Covid has affected other diseases, in the way described above.

probably have the same effect as not PSA testing young guys like Tony C ironically used to push on this forum a few years ago. we can now see how that worked out.
Posted 9/9/2020 1:24 PM (GMT 0)

Hello, Mr. Bill ----

Your post illustrates the ever-widening ripple effect of the pandemic.

I hope all that need medical care will follow up, in a timely fashion. There's a price to be paid for delayed diagnosis ---- or delayed treatments.

On the day I was diagnosed, my treatments began that VERY DAY.

My P.S.A. was skyrocketing ---- from the time of my initial consultation, to biopsy day, to diagnosis day.

Not all cases follow this pattern --- but several of us here know the meaning of the words "time IS of the essence" ...

My follow-up appointments have continued during the pandemic, each month.

Every precaution has been taken --- screenings at the entrance, masks issued to patients who don't have one, few patients in the waiting room, no extra visitors allowed, all staff in masks, and stringent sanitation.

I do plan to travel to Mayo Clinic later this month, for my six-month follow-up scans.

The hotel where I lodge near the medical campus in Rochester, Minnesota, is following strict cleaning protocols.

My main oncologist here has endorsed the idea of "keeping up-to-date" with my Mayo scans & appointments.

Each situation is different, but I hope all our comrades are getting the medical care they need during the pandemic.

Thank you, Mr. Bill, for this post --- and shining a spotlight on this important healthcare topic!

Be well, stay healthy!
CYCLONE ~~~ # Iowa State University
Posted 9/9/2020 1:36 PM (GMT 0)
Tragic.
Posted 9/9/2020 1:44 PM (GMT 0)
Cyclone,
Looks to me like you have all your ducks up. Planning is important for success. And i many instances time is of the essence. Sounds like you receive some high quality care. Do you have PSA done every month?
I have an appointment at VA for my yearly checkup on 25th of this month, which will be virtual appointment. Prior to that, on the 16th, I need a blood panel draw. That I have to go in for. about the only thing I go to VA for is my hearing disability. It's my understanding that I have to keep these annual appointments in order to continue qualifying for hearing aids.
Oh well, just stay with the program.
Mr. Bill
Posted 9/9/2020 2:07 PM (GMT 0)

Sounds like you are staying on top of things, Mr. Bill.

Yes, I receive a monthly PSA test, along with usual labs --- and also receive my monthly ADT shot --- these days, it's ZOLADEX.

I am glad you are staying up-to-date on your healthcare at the VA Hospital. This pandemic may continue for the foreseeable future, and some healthcare needs simply can't wait.

One idea that's working for me ---- instead of the "main lab" at the clinic for lab draws --- there's a small lab just for oncology patients where I visit my oncologist.

Very limited "foot traffic" --- so I have switched my required lab work to the oncology lab, instead.

I have a feeling there will likely be fewer travelers and international patients at Mayo Clinic when I travel up there at the end of this month.

With all my best,
CYCLONE --- # Iowa State University
Posted 9/9/2020 4:09 PM (GMT 0)

After-Thought ~~~

My sister is a dental hygienist ---- the dental office closed for 10 weeks, this past spring and summer, because of the pandemic.

Since then, despite working much longer hours, they can NOT "catch up" on the backlogged appointments and new patient needs, which now have arisen.

So --- down the road --- there will be yet ANOTHER ripple effect, when the pandemic subsides ---- because there WILL be a backlog of "missed appointments" --- and then an emergence of healthcare needs that were "put aside" during the pandemic --- which may then evolve into urgent or critical care needs.

Then there will be patients REALLY "counting down the days on a calendar" ----- for that awaited appointment --- and that's a worrisome scenario.

Ripple effects today, and yet to follow ~~~
CYCLONE ~ # Iowa State University

Post Edited (Cyclone-ISU) : 9/9/2020 3:15:03 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 9/11/2020 8:16 PM (GMT 0)
mr bill
I am currently serving on the NIH PCa task force and also have served on a Covid and Cancer committee a few months back. At the height of the outbreak of Covid-19 in April our trusted docs at the NCCN issued a Covid-19 based guidelines for detection and treatment that in my opinion should never have been released. I know the intentions were good but in retrospect the harms will last for years. Here are those documents:

The NCCN Prostate Cancer screening guideline during Covid-19:
https://www.nccn.org/covid-19/pdf/prostate_early_detection.pdf

The NCCN Prostate Cancer Treatment guideline during Covid-19:
https://www.nccn.org/covid-19/pdf/nccn_pca_covid_guidelines.pdf

We acknowledge at the NCI that patients are quite habitual. You can stop their momentum on screening and treatment, but it's hard to restart. Thus at the peak, the screening of all cancers were down 80% collectively and have only come back to about 70% since. Additionally, unscientific changes to "standard of care" require known health benefits to be set aside. I just never liked the strategy but it was put in place very early and has not been fully vetted for revision. But it certainly needs to be.

A friend of mine posted this on his website. It covers more details:
https://integrativeoncology-essentials.com/2020/04/routine-cancer-screening-during-the-pandemic/

In short, telemedicine is largely in use and screening does not work well in that environment. You cannot do a DRE with a mouse. (sigh)

Tony

Post Edited (Tony Crispino) : 9/11/2020 2:19:41 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 9/11/2020 9:44 PM (GMT 0)
Well, the purpose of the mouse is not for checking the prostate. 😀
Posted 9/11/2020 9:47 PM (GMT 0)
Mattam,
Precisely my point. But then again we do use mice in research?

smile
Posted 9/12/2020 1:21 AM (GMT 0)
Tony,
It was some bad humor with word play. It's quite true that you can't do a DRE with a mouse.

It's been a long Pandemic. 😉
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