Critical cancer screenings drop 39% at Centura Health during pandemic

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — A local surgeon is warning patients to reschedule any postponed screenings delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Screenings are down 39% at Centura Health compared to pre-COVID numbers. Officials say patients either didn’t schedule screenings or postponed the appointments they did have over the past year. While it may not have been safe to visit hospitals in the Springs for non-emergent appointments at height of the pandemic, Dr. Richard Miller says it is now.

“What we know very clearly is that if we can find lung cancer in an earlier stage, it’s much more treatable, the cure rate is higher, and the outcome for the patient is better,” said Dr. Miller.

In fact, the outcome was much better for Rose Burnett. Doctors at the Penrose Cancer Center in Colorado Springs detected a cancerous nodule in her lung early on. Burnett had surgery to remove cancer in May.

“I would suggest that everyone get their testing done because I’m up and moving like nothing ever happened,” said Burnett. “I do get winded, so that’s been a little hard for me.”

Burnett has kept a positive attitude throughout the process, but the news gave her husband and support system quite the scare.

“He was scared,” said Burnett. “Anything that happens to me — the man loves me and he gets worried.”

The couple will walk hand-in-hand into the Penrose Cancer Center for routine check-ups over the next two years.

Dr. Miller encourages anyone who’s at high risk for lung cancer to get screened. Generally, that includes anyone ages 50 to 80-years-old with a 15 pack-year history of smoking. 

To complicate things further, Centura Health wants people to know that if they missed their screening last year, they won’t be in the system to receive an automatic reminder.