Researchers from the United States concluded that remote screening during COVID-19 showed the same results as face-to-face screening. So far, this method can only be used to detect lung cancer.
A new study during the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that virtual screenings are as effective as tests that are done in person at a hospital. The results of the study were presented at the 2021 Virtual Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons (ACS).
With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, many patients, on the advice of doctors, have decided to postpone tests for lung cancer. However, several medical schools have refocused and offered telemedicine screening for lung cancer, which reduces the risk of contracting the new coronavirus. It is because of this method that ACS has issued a call not to skip cancer screenings due to COVID-19.
Researchers compared the results of 673 patients who underwent lung cancer screening (LCS) with one visit before the COVID-19 pandemic with 440 patients who received telemedicine lung cancer screening (SET-LCS) since March 2020, when the pandemic began to lockdown throughout the country. USA.
Although the telemedicine approach has allowed many patients to be screened for lung cancer, the total number of people screened for lung cancer during the pandemic has dropped by 75%. However, scientists hope that the new results will show patients that the quality of their services does not decline remotely.
The authors believe that telemedicine screening is applicable to other cancers, including breast or colorectal cancer.
