Cancer Treatment Centers of America CEO Warns of Impending ‘Shadow Curve’ as Cancer Screenings and Treatments Plunge Amid Pandemic
CTCA remains fully operational for all cancer care to flatten curve and launches online risk assessment, Alexa Skill and COVID-19 Cancer Chatbot to help people virtually
Boca Raton, Fla. May 21, 2020 – The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption in oncology care and is creating a cancer “shadow curve” that may result in a dramatic spike in undiagnosed and untreated cancer cases as a side-effect of the pandemic. The US has already witnessed a 37 percent drop in cancer care diagnosis compared to this same time period last year, demonstrating a need to reopen testing and screening as soon as possible.
To combat the “shadow curve,” Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), a national network of hospitals and outpatient centers, has remained operational for patients during COVID-19 and has taken every precaution to limit exposure. CTCA® notes there are nearly 1.8 million cases of cancer diagnosed each year, but people who have skipped appointments over the last three months are not getting diagnosed. If they wait until next year, when an undiagnosed condition may worsen, even if it remains treatable, they could face dramatically worse consequences to their quality of life for years.
“We must do everything possible to avoid the cancer shadow curve. Cancers are going undiagnosed, undetected and undertreated as disruption continues and important cancer screenings are postponed,” says Pat Basu, MD, MBA, CTCA President & CEO. “Cancer doesn’t wait for COVID-19 and neither will we. We will continue to screen people and provide treatment, while creating and implementing new tools to empower people to identify specific screenings and steps they must take.”
A recent survey from the American Cancer Society stated that half of all cancer patients surveyed reported some impact on their care due to COVID-19. Most startling is that among those in active treatment, more than a quarter “report a delay in their care, and 13 percent say they don’t know when it will be rescheduled.”
“The key to combatting preventable cancer deaths is often through awareness, empowerment and education. During the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, we need to open doors for those who may feel isolated. Technology is a great way to empower patients and reach that goal,” says Maurie Markman, MD, President of CTCA Medicine & Science. “As we know, early detection saves lives, and empowering patients with information to detect potential cancers early might have a positive impact in an era where tremendous negative downstream impact on cancer rates is predicted.”
COVID-19 and Cancer Chatbot/Virtual Assistant
This conversational artificial intelligence (AI) tool is designed to educate and inform consumers who have questions and concerns about COVID-19 in a cancer context. Users can access information across the cancer spectrum and perform an assessment of COVID-19 symptoms according to CDC guidelines. The cancer-focused assessment and frequently asked questions were developed by a cross-functional CTCA clinical team. With a knowledge base of over 150 facts related to COVID-19 and cancer, the CTCA COVID-19 and Cancer Chatbot is unique in the market, covering the intersection of COVID-19 and cancer for consumers at large.
About Cancer Treatment Centers of America
Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) is a national oncology network of hospitals and outpatient care centers offering an integrated approach that combines surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and advancements in precision medicine with supportive therapies to manage side effects and enhance quality of life during treatment and into survivorship. CTCA® publishes treatment results annually including patient experience, length of life, quality of life, patient safety and quality of care. CTCA also offers qualified patients a range of clinical trials that may reveal new treatment options supported by scientific and investigational research. CTCA patient satisfaction scores consistently rank among the highest for all cancer care providers in the country. Visit cancercenter.com for more information.