Disruptions in non-emergency breast exams during the height of COVID could lead to almost 2,500 additional breast cancer deaths in the United States in the decade between 2020 and 2030, according to a paper published July 14 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Now that restrictions are easing, there is a backlog of screenings. This is a fundamental issue for mammography sites around the country. However, the study concludes that “Continued efforts to ensure prompt return to screening and minimize delays in evaluation of symptomatic women can largely mitigate the effects of the initial pandemic-associated disruptions.”

Steps that providers can take to alleviate their backlog of cases include extended hours, reduced time between imaging appointments, and digitally sharing images through physician and patient portals reducing the time between imaging, image evaluation, and patients receiving their diagnoses.