Our MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute Medical Director, Dr. Nilesh Vora, and his patient Sheri Sanders sat down with Today Show correspondent Erin McLaughlin to talk about the ripple effect of missed medical appointments and cancer screenings during the pandemic.
Sheri was experiencing extreme abdominal pain, but was fearful of visiting a doctor due to COVID-19. Eventually the pain became unbearable and she went to urgent care. Sheri was diagnosed with stage 2 appendix cancer. Luckily, it was caught at an early stage when treatment is more successful.
But everyone may not be so lucky. It’s estimated that nearly 10 million cancer screenings were put off last year, which will lead to a rise in undiagnosed cases and lower cure rates as cancers are found in later stages.