The world has become a strange place in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with life as we know it turned upside down, but there remains the same risks and dangers to our health there always has been. Cancer has not gone anywhere and, even once we come through the other side of the pandemic, cancer will still be there.
COVID-19 is a dangerous virus that has killed more than a million people worldwide and should be given the respect it deserves. That means taking precautions such as adhering to social distancing, washing your hands and wearing a mask when out in public. However, what we must not do is disregard any potential symptoms of cancer and the very real effects of ignoring the killer disease.
Table of Contents
Why You Should Not Ignore Cancer
Cancer simply does not care that you and the rest of the world are isolating away from a respiratory virus. It will creep up on you and, if not diagnosed early on, will spread in your body to the point that nothing can be done. That is not scaremongering, those are the facts, and the desperate reality is the so many are ignoring symptoms because they are frightened about going for a check-up with the doctor – either through fear of contracting the coronavirus or because they feel that their doctor does not want to see them in the middle of a pandemic.
Firstly, your doctor does want to see you if you have any concerns. The chances are that you are worried about nothing, but the doctor would much rather tell you this rather than you ignore the symptoms only to later be diagnosed with advanced cancer. The earlier cancer is spotted, the higher your chances of survival are.
How cancer can be treated has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, with treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and proton beam therapy all playing pivotal roles in saving lives. New treatments and advancements continue to come, and the hope is that one day soon, a cancer diagnosis is not as fatal and final as it may seem.
How COVID is Assisting Cancer
For cancer, COVID-19 is the best thing that could have happened. With people scared to go outside and get themselves checked; the coronavirus is providing the assist to cancer to have its wicked way. As well as getting any symptoms checked out, the backlog in healthcare and treatments has also seen many patients’ routine treatments postponed and/or cancelled.
That, on its own, will have fatal consequences with the deaths from cancer set to rise. Doctors continue to urge governments to support their efforts in providing essential healthcare to those that need it most, as well as reminding people that their doors remain open to anyone who might have concerns.
What Your Doctor is Doing to Keep You Safe
Your doctor is making provisions to keep you safe when you arrange for a check-up. They are remaining at a safe distance, maintaining impeccably high sanitary standards, and masking up for your protection. If you are unable to make it into your doctor’s surgery or are worried about leaving home during these unprecedented times, many are beginning to offer video consultations.
If you do have any concerns about either cancer or COVID-19 or for any other health-related reason, make sure to speak to your doctor without delay. They are there to keep you healthy and save your life, so please do not disregard cancer but also make sure to give COVID-19 the respect that it deserves. Stay safe.
