Two recent studies by researchers from Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University School of Medicine explore the effect of the pandemic on colorectal cancer screening tests and diagnostic colonoscopies in Central Indiana. The findings of temporary disruption to the former and minimal impact on the latter are similar to findings across the U.S.
, contributing to the compendium of knowledge on preventive health uptake and subsequent treatment in various populations during the pandemic. One study, published in PLoS One , examines both non-invasive and colonoscopy screening trends during the pandemic. The other study, published in Preventive Medicine Reports, evaluates the interval between a positive non-invasive screening test and subsequent diagnostic colonoscopy.
The findings of both studies are based on deidentified electronic health record (EHR) data from both a public and a private healthcare system and are germane to discussions of the pandemic's influence on future incidence of this potentially deadly disease. Colorectal cancer develops in the colon or rectum, which are parts of the large intestine. It is the second most common cancer in the U.
S. in men and women combined and the second-leading cause of cancer deaths. The American Cancer Society estimates the disease will cause about 52,900 deaths in the U.
S. in 2025. Regular colorectal screening is a significant way of preventing or catching colorectal cancer at an early, more curable stage.
Colorectal cancer screen.
