Mercy's Dr. David Riseberg Encourages People to Receive Regular Cancer Screens Despite COVID-19

People have put off important cancer screenings because of COVID-19, and doctors say it's time to take care of them.

One report found cervical tests and breast cancer screenings dropped 94% in March, while colorectal cancer screenings fell 86% compared to 2017 to 2019 averages.

Medical experts stress that, given they follow all the needed precautions, hospitals are perfectly safe to visit at this time.

According to Dr. David Riseberg, Chief of Medical Oncology and Hematology at Mercy Medical Center, you should no longer put off getting needed, lifesaving preventive cancer screenings.

"We're really trying to get the word out. It's important for patients to come for their regular cancer screenings because cancer didn't take a break. It's still out there and, so, we're concerned that people are not going to be getting back into the flow of getting their regular testing," Dr. Riseberg said.

Dr. Riseberg added that there's concern many cancers may be diagnosed at a later point than they could have been. Experts say that for people who are worried about entering a medical facility during the age of COVID-19, sitting in an endoscopy suite is actually safer than visiting your local grocery store.

To view Mercy’s Dr. David Riseberg’s interview regarding getting important cancer screenings despite the COVID-19 pandemic, click here.