Data from Amsurg released Oct. 1 show nearly 200,000 patients have missed colonoscopies since the COVID-19 pandemic started.
Here are key statistics:
1. Of the 195,000 missed cases, 850 of them are estimated to be positive.
2. Another 32,000 patients are predicted to miss colonoscopies through the rest of 2020.
3. Amsurg estimates 140 more cases of colorectal cancer will go undiagnosed for the rest of the year.
4. The American Cancer Society estimated at least 148,000 new cases of colorectal cancer in 2020.
"Based on historical data for this time last year, we would have removed polyps from more than 82,000 patients before they turned cancerous," John Popp, MD, medical director for Amsurg, said in a statement. "Screening colonoscopies are crucial in detecting, treating and preventing colon cancer, which is the second most common cause of cancer death in the U.S. When diagnosed early, it is often easier to treat, and patients have an increased chance of survival."