Cancer Screenings Plummeted During Covid Surges, Study Says

Cancer screenings that can spot dangerous tumors in the breasts and lungs fell dramatically during Covid surges, according to a study that points to the need for hospital staff to continue social-distancing and masking to make sure patients feel safe getting preventive tests.

Breast cancer checks fell 15% below expectations based on past trends during a Covid surge in January 2021, and 14% below the expected level during the January 2022 omicron surge, according to a report published Friday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Lung cancer screenings dropped even more: in January 2021, the rate was ...